Thomas Salmon (1800-1854) visited a shop owned and operated by William Walford in a small English village one afternoon in 1842. Since William was blind and lived alone, he relied on his prodigious memory to keep Scripture on instant recall and composed poems in his head as an aid to prayer. As their conversation turned to prayer, William shared a few verses of a poem he had composed in his mind on prayer. Thomas was captivated by his repeated references to “sweet hour” and jotted the words down on paper. Thomas emigrated to America three years later and shared the poem with the editor of the New York Observer. The poem was published in an 1845 newspaper, and it caught on quickly. William Bradbury, who wrote tunes for hymns like “Jesus Loves Me,” “Just as I Am” and “Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us” added music to the poem and the song, “Sweet Hour of Prayer” took off. Stanza 1 invites us to make “all our wishes and desires known,” giving specific mention to “seasons of distress and grief.” Stanza 2 speaks of “strong desires for thy return,” an allusion to Jesus’ second coming. Stanza 3 likens prayers as carried on wings into God’s presence. The line, “I’ll cast on him my every care” recalls Peter’s words, “Cast all your cares on him who cares for you” (1 Peter 5.7). Most hymnals leave off the fourth verse, which is regrettable, since it speaks of Moses on Mount Pisgah at his life’s end, seeing the Promised Land in the distance (Deut. 34.1).
William Walford had no way of knowing that his poem would be cherished by so many Christians after him. Neither did Thomas Salmon who died before the poem became a popular hymn. We’ll never know what impact our words and actions will have on future generations. As you reflect on this hymn, take its counsel to heart and bring your distress, desires and cares to God in prayer:
Thomas Salmon
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare,
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer. Sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To him whose truth and faithfulness
Enlarge the waiting soul to bless.
And since he bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!
Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight.
This robe of flesh I’ll drop, and rise
To seize the everlasting prize,
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”
Rev. Dr. Peter James served 42 years as the senior of Vienna Presbyterian Church in Vienna, VA — 21 years in the 20th century and 21 years in the 21st century. He retired in 2021 and now serves as Pastor-in-Residence at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Even as a pastor, prayer came slowly to Pete. Read Pete’s story.