Scripture Verse

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Introduction

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Luther O. Emerson
1820–1915

Words: Stanza 1, Re­gi­nald He­ber, pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in 1827. Stan­za 2, Fred­er­ick L. Hos­mer, 1914. Stan­za 3, Will­iam Mer­cer, 1864. Stanza 4, Ri­chard Whate­ly, 1838.

Music: Ar Hyd Y Nos tra­di­tion­al Welsh tune. Har­mo­ny by Lu­ther O. Em­er­son, 1906 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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Reginald Heber
1783–1826

Lyrics

God, 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!

When the constant sun returning
Unseals our eyes,
May we, born anew like morning,
To labor rise;
Gird us for the task that calls us,
Let not ease and self enthrall us,
Strong through Thee whate’er befall us,
O God most wise!

And when morn again shall call us,
To run life’s way,
May we still, whatever befall us,
Thy will obey.
From the power of evil hide us,
In the narrow pathway guide us,
Nor Thy smile be ever denied us
All through the day.

Guard us waking, guard us sleeping,
And when we die,
May we in Thy mighty keeping
All peaceful lie;
When the last dread call shall wake us,
Do not Thou, our God, forsake us,
But to reign in glory take us
With Thee on high.