GOD, Who madest earth and heaven,
Darkness and light,
Who the day for toil hast given,
For rest the night!
May Thine angel-guards defend us,
Slumber sweet Thy mercy send us,
Holy dreams and hopes attend us,
This livelong night!
Guard us waking, guard us sleeping:
And, when we die,
May we in Thy mighty keeping
All peaceful lie :
When the last dread call shall wake us,
Do not Thou our God forsake us,
But to reign in glory take us
With Thee on high.
THROUGH the day Thy love hath spared us,
Wearied, we lie down to rest:
Through the silent watches guard us;
Let no foe our peace molest:
Jesus, Thou our guardian be;
Sweet it is to trust in Thee.
Pilgrims here on earth, and strangers,
Dwelling in the midst of foes,
Us and ours preserve from dangers,
In Thy love may we repose;
And, when life's sad day is past.
Rest with Thee in heaven at last.
FATHER! who the light this day
Out of darkness did'st create,
Shine upon us now, we pray,
While within Thy courts we wait,
Cast we off the works of night--
Walk as children of the light.
Saviour! who this day didst break
The dark prison of the tomb,
Bid our slumbering souls awake,
Shine through all their sin and gloom;
Let us, from our bonds set free,
Rise from sin, and live to Thee!
Blessed Spirit! Comforter!
Sent this day with power from high,
Lord, on us Thy gifts confer,
Cleanse, illumine, sanctify;
Be Thine influence shed abroad,
Lead us to the truth of God.
THIS day the Light, of heavenly birth,
First streamed upon the new-born earth-
O Lord, this day upon us shine,
And fill our souls with Light divine.
This day the Saviour left the grave,
And rose, omnipotent to save ;—
O Jesu, may we raised be
From death of sin to Life in Thee.
This day the Holy Spirit came
With fiery tongues of cloven flame,-
O Spirit, fill our hearts this day
With Grace to hear, and Grace to pray.
O Day of Light, and Life, and Grace!
From earthly toils sweet resting-place!
Thy hallowed hours, best gift of Love,
Give we again to God above!
BEHOLD, we come, dear Lord, to Thee, And bow before Thy throne:
We come to pay, tongue, heart, and knee,
Our vows to Thee alone.
Whate'er we have, whate'er we are,
Thy bounty freely gave;
Thou dost us here in mercy spare,
And wilt hereafter save.
But O can all our store afford
No better gifts for Thee?
Who can express Thy riches, Lord,
Or our deep poverty?
Nor heart, nor tongue, nor knee can pay
The mighty debt we owe;
The words are more than we can say,
The thoughts, than we can know.
Come then, and bring we all our powers,
And grieve we have no more;
Bring every day our choicest hours,
And our great God adore.
There is a book who runs may read..
There is a blessed home..
There is a land of pure delight
They come God's messengers of love
This day the light of heavenly birth..
Thou art the way, to Thee alone
Thou boundless source of every good
Thou art gone to the grave, but we will not
Thou, Lord, by strictest search hast known
Thou who didst leave Thy Father's breast..
Though by sorrows overtaken
Through all the changing scenes of life
Through the day Thy love hath spared us
To Christ, the Prince of peace
Thy mercies and Thy love
To bless Thy chosen race
To Thee, O better country
We sing the praise of Him who died
When all Thy mercies O my God
When God of old came down from heaven
When gathering clouds around we view
When I survey thy wondrous Cross
When Jesus left His Father's throne...
When our heads are bowed with woe
When rising from the bed of death
Where high the heavenly temple stands...
Where'er may turn Thy sacred feet
While shepherds watched their flock by night
We are little Christian children
With one consent let all the earth
Witness ye men and angels now
Ye boundless realms of joy
Ye servants of the Lord
AWAKE, my soul, and with the sun
Thy daily stage of duty run;
Shake off dull sloth, and early rise,
To pay thy morning sacrifice.
Redeem thy misspent moments past,
And live this day as if thy last;
Thy talent to improve take care,
For the great day thyself prepare.
Let all thy converse be sincere,
Thy conscience as the noon-day clear;
For God's all-seeing eye surveys
Thy secret thoughts, thy works and ways.
Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart,
And with the angels bear thy part,
Who all night long unwearied sing
Glory to the Eternal King.
I wake, I wake; ye heavenly choir,
May your devotion me inspire,
That I, like you, my age may spend;
Like you, may on my God attend.
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