{
 "id": "john-newton/prayer-for-ministers",
 "title": "Prayer for Ministers",
 "ordinal": "50",
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "John Newton",
 "poet_slug": "john-newton",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Olney Hymns",
 "book_slug": "olney-hymns",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 191,
 "container": "II Ordinances",
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1779,
  "venue": "Olney Hymns (1779)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_olney-hymns-in-three-bo_newton-john_1779",
   "https://cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk/bulletin/computerised-index-to-the-olney-hymns/",
   "https://archive.org/details/olneyhymnsinthre00cowpuoft"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/john-newton_william-cowper_olney-hymns",
  "file": "book-2.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Olney_Hymns_%281840%29",
   "https://archive.org/details/olneyhymnsinthre00cowpuoft"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-15"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 28,
  "n_stanzas": 7,
  "n_parts": 7,
  "longest_line_chars": 41,
  "max_indent": 1
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [
  {
   "ordinal": "I",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    0,
    1
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "II",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    1,
    2
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "III",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    2,
    3
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "IV",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
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    4
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "V",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
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   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "VI",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    5,
    6
   ]
  },
  {
   "ordinal": "VII",
   "title": null,
   "stanza_range": [
    6,
    7
   ]
  }
 ],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Chief Shepherd of thy chosen sheep,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From death and sin set free;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "May every under shepherd keep",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His eye intent on thee!",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "With plenteous grace their hearts prepare",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To execute thy will⁠—",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Compassion, patience, love, and care,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And faithfulness and skill.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Inflame their minds with holy zeal",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Their flocks to feed and teach;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And let them live, and let them feel",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The sacred truths they preach.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Oh, never let the sheep complain,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That toys, which fools amuse,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Ambition, pleasure, praise, or gain,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Debase the shepherd’s views.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "He that for these forbears to feed",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The souls whom Jesus loves,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Whate’er he may profess, or plead,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "An idle shepherd proves.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The sword of God shall break his arm,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A blast shall blind his eye;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "His word shall have no power to warm,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "His gifts shall all grow dry.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Lord, avert this heavy woe!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Let all thy shepherds say;",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "And grace and strength on each bestow,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To labour while ’tis day.",
    "indent": 1
   }
  ]
 ]
}