Grace Before Meat (Part I) 1 Fountain of being, source of good! At whose almighty breath The creature proves our bane or food, Dispensing life or death: 2 Thee we address with humble fear, Vouchsafe thy gifts to crown; Father of all, thy children hear, And send a blessing down. 3 O may our souls for ever pine Thy grace to taste and see; Athirst for righteousness divine, And hungry after thee! 4 For this we lift our longing eyes, We wait the gracious word; Speak and our hearts from earth shall rise, And feed upon the Lord. 3Charles included this hymn in a later manuscript selection for family use: MS Family, 12.