Scripture Verse

On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night. Psalm 63:6

Introduction

Words: Sam­uel Long­fel­low, Ves­pers 1859.

Music: Ves­per Hymn (Ste­ven­son), from A Se­lect­ion of Po­pu­lar Na­tion­al Airs, by John A. Ste­ven­son, 1818 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Ste­ven­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Samuel Longfellow
(1819–1892)

Lyrics

Now, on land and sea des­cend­ing,
Brings the night its peace pro­found;
Let our ves­per hymn be blend­ing
With the ho­ly calm around.
Jubilate! Ju­bi­la­te! Ju­bi­la­te! Amen!
Let our ves­per hymn be blend­ing
With the ho­ly calm around.

Soon as dies the sun­set glo­ry,
Stars of hea­ven shine out above,
Telling still the an­cient sto­ry,
Their cre­at­or’s change­less love.
Jubilate! Ju­bi­late! Ju­bi­late! Amen!
Telling still the ancient story,
Their cre­at­or’s change­less love.

Now, our wants and bur­dens leav­ing
To God’s care who cares for all,
Cease we fear­ing, cease we griev­ing,
Touched by God our bur­dens fall.
Jubilate! Ju­bi­late! Ju­bi­late! Amen!
Cease we fear­ing, cease we griev­ing,
Touched by God our bur­dens fall.

As the dark­ness deepens o’er us
Lo! eter­nal stars arise;
Hope and faith and love rise glo­ri­ous,
Shining in the Spir­it’s skies.
Jubilate! Ju­bi­late! Ju­bi­late! Amen!
Hope and faith and love rise glo­ri­ous,
Shining in the Spir­it’s skies.