Scripture Verse

Turn ye even to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. Joel 2:12

Introduction

illustration
An Angel Awakens the Prophet Elijah
Juan Frias y Escalante
1633–1670

Words: Gre­go­ry I (540–604) (Clar­um de­cus je­ju­nii). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Hen­ry W. Bak­er, 1875.

Music: Je­ju­nia John Stain­er, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1875 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
John Stainer (1840–1901)

Lyrics

Good it is to keep the fast,
Shadowed forth in ag­es past,
Which our own al­migh­ty Lord
Hallowed by His deed and Word.

Moses, while he fast­ed, saw
God who gave by him the law;
To Elijah an­gels came,
Steeds of fire and car of flame.

So was Da­ni­el meet to gaze
On the sight of lat­ter days
And the Bap­tist to pro­claim
Blessings through the Bride­groom’s name.

Grant us, Lord, like them to be
Oft in pray­er and fast with Thee;
Fill us with Thy hea­ven­ly might,
Be our joy and true de­light.

Father, hear us through Thy Son,
And the Spi­rit, with Thee One,
Whom our thank­ful hearts adore,
Ever and for­ev­er­more.