A Grace Before Dinner
written in 1789
O 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!
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.
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