Scripture Verse

God said, Let there be light, and there was light. Genesis 1:3

Introduction

portrait
Gregory I
540–604

Words: Pos­si­bly Gre­go­ry I (540–604) (Lu­cis Cre­at­or op­ti­me). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John M. Neale, 1851.

Music: Brom­ley (Clarke) Je­re­mi­ah Clarke, 1700 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

  • Lucis Cre­at­or An­gers church tune (🔊 pdf nwc)
portrait
John M. Neale (1818–1866)

Lyrics

O blest Cre­at­or of the light,
Who mak’st the day with ra­di­ance bright,
And o’er the form­ing world didst call
The light from cha­os first of all.

Whose wis­dom joined in meet ar­ray
The morn and eve, and named them day:
Night comes with all its dark­ling fears;
Regard Thy peo­ple’s pray­ers and tears.

Lest, sunk in sin, and whelmed with strife,
They lose the gift of end­less life;
While think­ing but the thoughts of time,
They weave new chains of woe and crime.

But grant them grace that they may strain
The hea­ven­ly gate and prize to gain:
Each harm­ful lure aside to cast,
And purge away each er­ror past.

O Fa­ther, that we ask be done,
Through Je­sus Christ, Thine on­ly Son;
Who, with the Ho­ly Ghost and Thee,
Doth live and reign eter­nal­ly.