At dawn we rise to work the land And turn the furrowed field The seed must die below the ground To rise a hundredfold The earth was given us to tend The garden ours to keep And though the thorns now tear our hands We'll sow, and trust, and reap By these hands we turn the soil By these hands we raise the wall By these hands we feed our children Giving thanks to God above Till our earthly days are ended And our final work is done May He find our labor faithful And bless the work of these hands He gave us iron, wood, and clay And strength to shape them well To build a gate, to raise a roof To make a place to dwell Swing the axe and lift the stone Set the timber straight and true Take the things the Lord has made And fashion something new By these hands we turn the soil By these hands we raise the wall By these hands we feed our children Giving thanks to God above Till our earthly days are ended And our final work is done May He find our labor faithful And bless the work of these hands So teach us, Lord, to labor To till and build and stand And when our strength is fading Trust the work to younger hands By these hands we turn the soil By these hands we raise the wall By these hands we feed our children Giving thanks to God above Till our earthly days are ended And our final work is done May He find our labor faithful And bless the work of these hands Bless the work of these hands Bless the work of these hands
