Scripture Verse

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1

Introduction

portrait
James Montgomery
(1771–1854)
National Portrait Gallery

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Words: James Mont­gom­ery, Sac­red Po­ems and Hymns (New York: D. Ap­ple­ton, 1854), num­ber 261, alt. On the ju­bi­lee of the Lon­don Mis­sion­ary So­ci­ety.

Music: Mait­land George N. Al­len, The Ob­er­lin So­cial and Sab­bath Hymn Book (Ob­er­lin, Ohio: James M. Fitch, 1844), num­ber 109 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
George Allen (1812–1877)

Lyrics

Arise and shine, your light is come,
Fair is­lands of the West!
Awake and sing, once deaf and dumb,
Now is­lands of the blest.

Shine, for the glo­ry of the Lord
Your cor­al reefs sur­rounds:
Sing, for the trum­pet of His word
O’er all your ocean sounds.

Poor Af­ri­ca! through thy waste sands,
Where Cal­va­ry’s fount­ain flows,
Deserts be­come Im­man­uel’s lands,
And blos­som like the rose.

India, be­neath the char­iot wheels
Of Jug­ger­naut o’er­thrown,
Thy heart a quick­en­ing spir­it feels,
A pulse beats through the stone.

O China! see thy quak­ing wall:
Foredoomed by Heav’n’s de­cree,
A hand is writ­ing on it— Fall!
A voice goes forth— Be free!

Ye pa­gan tribes! of ev­ery race,
Clime, coun­try, lang­uage, hue,
Believe, ob­ey, be saved by grace,
The Gos­pel speaks to you.

Father of lights! Thy will be done
Here, as by saints ab­ove;
Give earth’s whole em­pire to Thy Son,
For He must reign in love.

Reign, till be­neath His feet, all foes
Forever van­quished lie;
And the last judg­ment’s sen­tence close
The book of pro­phe­cy.