A Grace Before Dinner
written in 1789
A Grace Before Dinner - meaning Summary
Gratitude and Humble Contentment
Robert Burns's A Grace Before Dinner is a brief prayer that thanks God for provision and asks for guidance and inner peace. Addressing a benevolent creator who meets "every creature's want", the speaker seeks continued blessing and accepts whatever outcome, asking chiefly for contentment. The tone is devout and homely, suitable to a shared meal, and it emphasizes moral resignation and gratitude rather than theological debate. Its plain diction and concision make the poem a compact expression of thankful acceptance and practical piety.
Read Complete AnalysesO thou who kindly dost provide For every creature's want! We bless Thee, God of Nature wide, For all Thy goodness lent: And if it please Thee, Heavenly Guide, May never worse be sent; But , whether granted, or denied, Lord, bless us with content. Amen!
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