Hymn written in
1870 by
John Ellerton, and sung to either of the tunes
St Clement (
Clement Cotterill Scholefield,
1874) or
Commandments (
Louis Bourgeois,
1543).
I'm particularly fond of this hymn, and I have thought of it many times in the past week. This node is humbly dedicated to the victims, living and dead, of the
World Trade Center disaster.
The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended;
The darkness falls at thy behest.
To thee our morning hymns ascended;
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.
We thank thee that thy church unsleeping
As Earth rolls onward into light
Through all the world her watch is keeping
And rests not now by day or night.
As o'er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day
The voice of prayer is never silent
Nor dies the strain of praise away.
The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren 'neath the western sky
And o'er the world fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.
So be it, Lord: thy throne shall never
Like Earth's proud empires, pass away.
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever
Till all thy creatures own thy sway.
Everything Hymnal