Scripture Verse

Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: Thou hast made summer and winter. Psalm 74:17

Introduction

Words: Sam­uel Long­fel­low, 1859. Orig­in­al ti­tle: The Sweet June Days Are Come Again.

Music: Soll’s Sein, me­lo­dy from Drei schöne neue geist­liche Lied­er (Mu­nich, Ger­ma­ny: 1637) (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Samuel Longfellow (1819–1892)

Lyrics

The sum­mer days are come again,
With sun and clouds be­tween,
And, fed alike by sun and rain,
The trees grow broad and green;
Spreads broad and green the leafy tent,
Upon whose gras­sy floor
Our feet, too long in ci­ties pent,
Their free­dom find once more.

The sum­mer days are come again;
Once more the glad earth yields
Her gold­en wealth of rip­en­ing grain,
And breadth of clo­ver fields,
And deep­en­ing shade of sum­mer woods,
And glow of sum­mer air,
And wing­ing thoughts, and hap­py moods
Of love and joy and pray­er.

The sum­mer days are come again;
The birds are on the wing;
God’s prais­es, in their lov­ing strain,
Unconsciously they sing.
We know who giv­eth all the good
That doth our cup o’er­brim;
For sum­mer joy in field and wood
We lift our song to Him.