Scripture Verse

The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2

Introduction

Words: God­frey Thring, 1873.

Music: Dan­ia Fran­cis G. Ils­ley, 1887 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Thring or Ils­ley (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Hear us, Thou that brood­est o’er the wa­te­ry deep,
Waking all cre­ation from its pri­mal sleep;
Holy Spi­rit, breath­ing breath of life di­vine,
Breathe in­to our spi­rits, blend­ing them with Thine.

Refrain

Light and life im­mor­tal, hear us as we raise,
Hearts, as well as voic­es, ming­ling pray­er with praise.

When the sun aris­eth in a cloud­less sky,
May we feel Thy pre­sence, Holy Spi­rit, nigh;
Shed Thy ra­di­ance o’er us, keep it cloud­less still,
Through the day be­fore us, per­fect­ing Thy will.

Refrain

When the fight is fierc­est, in the noon­tide heat,
Bear us, Holy Spi­rit, to our Sav­ior’s feet;
There to find a re­fuge, till our work is done,
There to fight the bat­tle, till the bat­tle’s won.

Refrain

If the day be fall­ing sad­ly as it goes,
Slowly in its sad­ness sink­ing to its close,
May Thy love in mer­cy kind­ling, ere it die,
Cast a ray of glo­ry o’er our ev­en­ing sky.

Refrain

Morning, noon, and ev­en­ing, when­so­e’er it be,
Grant us, gra­ci­ous Spi­rit, quick­en­ing life in Thee;
Life that gives us, liv­ing, life of hea­ven­ly love,
Life that brings us, dy­ing, life from Hea­ven above.

Refrain