Scripture Verse

When I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness. Psalm 17:15

Introduction

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Thomas Ken (1637–1711)

Words: Tho­mas Ken, Ma­nu­al of Pray­ers for the Use of the Schol­ars of Win­chester Col­lege 1674. Ken wrote this hymn at a time when the es­tab­lished church be­lieved on­ly Scrip­ture should be sung as hymns—with an em­pha­sis on the Psalms. Some con­sid­ered it sin­ful and blas­phe­mous to write new lyr­ics for church mu­sic, akin to ad­ding to the Scrip­tures.

In that at­mo­sphere, Ken wrote this and se­ver­al oth­er hymns for the boys at Winc­hes­ter Col­lege, with strict in­struct­ions that they use them on­ly in their rooms, for pri­vate de­vo­tions. Iron­ic­al­ly, the last stan­za has come in­to wide­spread use as the Dox­olo­gy, per­haps the most fre­quent­ly used piece of mu­sic in pub­lic wor­ship. At Ken’s re­quest, the hymn was sung at his fun­er­al, fit­ting­ly held at sun­rise.

Music: Mainz­er Jo­seph Mainz­er, 1841 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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Joseph Mainzer (1801–1851)

Lyrics

Awake, my soul, and with the sun
Thy dai­ly stage of du­ty run;
Shake off dull sloth, and joy­ful rise,
To pay thy morn­ing sac­ri­fice.

Thy pre­cious time mis­spent, re­deem,
Each pre­sent day thy last es­teem,
Improve thy ta­lent with due care;
For the great day thy­self pre­pare.

By in­flu­ence of the Light di­vine
Let thy own light to oth­ers shine.
Reflect all Hea­ven’s pro­pi­tious ways
In ar­dent love, and cheer­ful praise.

In con­ver­sa­tion be sin­cere;
Keep con­sci­ence as the noon­tide clear;
Think how all see­ing God thy ways
And all thy sec­ret thoughts sur­veys.

Wake, and lift up thy­self, my heart,
And with the an­gels bear thy part,
Who all night long un­wea­ried sing
High praise to the eter­nal King.

All praise to Thee, who safe has kept
And hast re­freshed me while I slept
Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake
I may of end­less light par­take.

Heav’n is, dear Lord, wher­e’er Thou art,
O ne­ver then from me de­part;
For to my soul ’tis hell to be
But for one mo­ment void of Thee.

Lord, I my vows to Thee re­new;
Disperse my sins as morn­ing dew.
Guard my first springs of thought and will,
And with Thy­self my spi­rit fill.

Direct, con­trol, sug­gest, this day,
All I de­sign, or do, or say,
That all my pow­ers, with all their might,
In Thy sole glo­ry may unite.

I would not wake nor rise again
And Heav’n it­self I would dis­dain,
Wert Thou not there to be en­joyed,
And I in hymns to be em­ployed.

Praise God, from whom all bless­ings flow;
Praise Him, all crea­tures here be­low;
Praise Him above, ye heav’n­ly host;
Praise Fa­ther, Son, and Ho­ly Ghost.