Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion Part 61

362. P. M. Sterling.

A Hymn of Morning.

1 Sweet morn! from countless cups of gold, Thou liftest reverently on high More incense fine than earth can hold, To fill the sky.

2 Where'er the vision's boundaries glance, Existence swells with living power, And all the illumined earth's expanse Inhales the hour.

3 In man, O morn! a loftier good, With conscious blessing, fills the soul,-- A life by reason understood, Which metes the whole.

4 To thousand tasks of fruitful hope, With skill against his toil, he bends, And finds his work's determined scope Where'er he wends.

5 From earth and earthly toil and strife To deathless aims his soul may rise, Each dawn may wake to better life, With purer eyes.

6 Such grace from Thee, O G.o.d, be ours, Renewed with every morning's ray, And freshening still with added flowers Each future day.

7 To man is given one primal star; One dayspring's beam has dawned below; From Thine our inmost glories are, With Thine we glow.

8 Like earth awake and warm and bright, With joy the spirit moves and burns; So up to Thee, O Fount of Light, Our light returns.

363. 7s. M. Episcopal Coll.

Morning Hymn.

1 Now the shades of night are gone; Now the morning light is come: Lord, may we be Thine to-day; Drive the shades of sin away.

2 Fill our souls with heavenly light, Banish doubt, and clear our sight; In Thy service, Lord, to-day, May we stand, and watch, and pray.

3 Keep our haughty pa.s.sions bound; Save us from our foes around; Going out and coming in, Keep us safe from every sin.

364. 7s. M. Furness.

Morning Hymn.

1 In the morning I will pray For G.o.d's blessing on the day; What this day shall be my lot, Light or darkness, know I not.

2 Should it be with clouds o'ercast, Clouds of sorrow, gathering fast, Thou, who givest light divine, s.h.i.+ne within me, Lord, O, s.h.i.+ne!

3 Show me, if I tempted be, How to find all strength in Thee, And a perfect triumph win Over every bosom sin.

4 Keep my feet from secret snares, Keep mine eyes, O G.o.d, from tears!

Every step Thy love attend, And my soul from death defend!

365. C. M. St. Ambrose.

Morning Hymn.

1 Now that the sun is beaming bright, Implore we, bending low, That He, the uncreated Light, May guide us as we go.

2 No sinful word, nor deed of wrong, Nor thoughts that idly rove, But simple truth be on our tongue, And in our hearts be love.

3 And while the hours in order flow, Securely keep, O G.o.d, Our hearts, beleaguered by the foe That tempts our every road.

4 And grant that to Thine honor, Lord, Our daily toil may tend; That we begin it at Thy word, And in Thy favor end.

366. L. M. Pierpont.

Morning Hymn for a Child.

1 O G.o.d! I thank Thee that the night In peace and rest hath pa.s.sed away, And that I see in this fair light My Father's smile, that makes it day.

2 Be Thou my guide, and let me live As under Thine all-seeing eye; Supply my wants, my sins forgive, And make me happy when I die.

367. P. M. Heber.

Evening Aspiration.

G.o.d that 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!

368. 7s. M. St. Gregory.