Whose praises be through earth's most distant regions
WHEN, streaming from the eastern skies,
The morning light salutes mine eyes,
O Sun of Righteousness divine,
On me with beams of mercy shine,
Chase the dark clouds of guilt away,
And turn my darkness into day.
2 As every day, Thy mercy spares,
Will bring its trials and its cares,
O Saviour, till my life shall end,
Be Thou my counselor and friend;
Teach me Thy precepts all divine,
And be Thy great example mine.
3 When each day's scenes and labors close,
And wearied nature seeks repose,
With pardoning mercy richly blest,
Guard me, my Saviour, while I rest;
And as each morning's sun shall rise,
Oh, lead me onward to the skies!
4 And at my life's last setting sun,
My conflicts o'er, my labors done,
Jesus, Thy heavenly radiance shed,
To cheer and bless my dying bed;
Then from death's gloom my spirit raise,
To see Thy face and sing Thy praise.
My God, how endless is Thy love!
Thy gifts are every evening new,
And morning mercies from above
Gently distil like early dew.
2 Thou spreadst the curtains of the night,
Great guardian of my sleeping hours;
Thy sovereign word restores the light
And quickens all my drowsy powers.
3 I yield my powers to Thy command,
To Thee I consecrate my days;
Perpetual_blessings from Thine hand
Demand perpetual songs of praise.
CHRIST, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Triumph o'er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near,
Day-star, in my heart appear.
2 Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by Thee;
Joyless is the day's return,
Till Thy mercy's beams I see;
Till Thou inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.
3 Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, Radiancy Divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more Thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.
EV'RY morning mercies new
Fall as fresh as morning dew;
Ev'ry morning let us pay
Tribute with the early day;
For Thy mercies, Lord, are sure,
Thy compassion doth endure.
2 Still the greatness of Thy love
Daily doth our sins remove;
Daily, far as east from west,
Lifts the burden from the breast;
Gives unbought, to those who pray,
Strength to stand in evil day.
3 Let our prayers each morn prevail,
That these gifts may never fail;
And, as we confess the sin
And the tempter's power within,
Feed us with the Bread of Life,
Fit us for our daily strife.
4 As the morning light returns,
As the sun with splendor burns,
Teach us still to turn to Thee,
Ever blessed Trinity,
With our hands our hearts to raise,
In unfailing prayer and praise.
COME, my soul, thou must be waking,
Now is breaking
O'er the earth another day;
Come, to Him who made this splendor
See thou render
All thy feeble strength can pay.
2 Pray that He may prosper ever Each endeavor,
When thine aim is good and true; But that He may ever thwart thee, And convert thee,
When thou evil would'st pursue.
3 Think that He thy ways beholdeth;
Every fault that lurks within ; He the hidden shame glossed over Can discover,
And discern each deed of sin.
4 Mayest thou on life's last morrow, Free from sorrow,
Pass away in slumber sweet;
And, released from death's dark sadness, Rise in gladness,
That far brighter Sun to greet.
5 Only God's free gifts abuse not, Light refuse not,
But His Spirit's voice obey;
Thou with Him shalt dwell, beholding
Light enfolding
All things in unclouded day.
F. R. L. von Canitz. Tr. H. J. Buckoll.
LORD, in the morning Thou shalt hear
My voice ascending high;
To Thee will I direct my pray`r,
To Thee lift up mine eye—
2 Up to the hills where Christ is gone
To plead for all His saints,
Presenting, at His Father's throne,
Our songs and our complaints.
5 Thou art a God before whose sight
The wicked shall not stand;
Sinners shall ne'er be Thy delight,
Nor dwell at Thy right hand.
4 But to Thy house will I resort
To taste Thy mercies there;
I will frequent Thy holy court
And worship in Thy fear.
5 Oh, may Thy Spirit guide my feet
In ways of righteousness,
Make every path of duty straight
And plain before my face.
O GOD, before the sun's bright beams
All night's dark shadows fly;
When on the soul Thy mercy gleams,
All doubts and terrors die.
2 So freshly falls Thy heaven-sent grace
As morning's gladdening breath;
Gives light to all to seek Thy face,
And guides in life and death.
3 O holy light! O light of God!
O light unseen below,
Which fills the courts of Thine abode,
Which there the blest shall know!
4 Swift comes the hour when none can toil,
Short is the rugged way;
Teach us our lamps to fill with oil
Whilst it is called to-day.
5 Then we shall see that glorious light
Which to the saints is given,
So sweet, so fair, so passing bright,
The eternal morn of heaven.
My soul, awake! thy rest forsake,
And greet the morning light;
With song arise glad sacrifice
For mercies of the night.
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