The Refuge of Prayer
- Joe Hawkins
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 8
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.
In a world drowning in noise, distraction, and deception, this hymn reminds us of the refuge that prayer offers. This is a call to retreat from the chaos into the quiet presence of the Father. As the world races toward the last days with mounting apostasy and deception, the believer finds safety not in silence itself, but in communion with God (Psalm 91:1–2). Prayer is where discernment is sharpened and the schemes of the enemy are exposed.
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage 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.
Now we shift from refuge to confidence. Prayer is not empty words drifting into the void; it is the lifeline of the Watcher and Warrior. In these prophetic days, when fear and uncertainty rule the headlines, we are reminded of God’s unchanging faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22–23). He has promised to hear us, and His Word is the anchor that steadies our hearts (Hebrews 4:16). We cast our cares upon Him not as wishful thinking, but as soldiers entrusting their commander with the outcome of the battle (1 Peter 5:7).
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!
The final stanza turns our eyes heavenward. The imagery of Mount Pisgah—where Moses glimpsed the Promised Land—reminds us that prayer is not only for this present struggle but also for the glory to come. The hymn anticipates the rapture, when the saints will be caught up to meet Christ in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). In that moment, the “hour of prayer” gives way to the eternal presence of God. The temporary will be swallowed up in the eternal. What we know now in faith and in whispers of prayer will one day be shouted in triumph as we rise to meet our Savior.
In times of distress, prayer is our shelter. In times of uncertainty, prayer is our assurance. And in the days ahead, when the trumpet sounds, prayer will give way to the everlasting presence of Christ.
Until then, let us not neglect the “sweet hour” but press into it with urgency, knowing that each moment on our knees strengthens us to stand firm in the prophetic hour we are living in.
Sweet Hour of Prayer - W. W. Walford
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