Scripture Verse

The evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:5

Introduction

portrait
Gregory I (540–604)

Words: At­trib­ut­ed to Gre­go­ry I (540–604) (Pri­mo di­er­um om­ni­um). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish in the Yat­ten­don Hym­nal.

Music: An­der­nach An­der­nach Ge­sang­buch, 1608 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

This day the first of days was made,
When God in light the world ar­rayed;
Or when His Word arose again,
And, con­quer­ing death, gave life to men.

Slumber and sloth drive far away;
Earlier arise to greet the day;
And ere its dawn in Hea­ven un­fold
The heart’s de­sire to God be told.

Unto our pray­er that He at­tend,
His all cre­at­ing pow­er ex­tend,
And still re­new us, lest we miss
Through earth­ly stain our heav’n­ly bliss.

That us, who here this day re­pair
To keep the apos­tles’ time of pray­er,
And hymn the qui­et hours of morn,
With bless­èd gifts He may adorn.

For this, Re­deem­er, Thee we pray
That Thou wilt wash our sins away,
And of Thy lov­ing­kind­ness grant
Whate’er of good our spir­its want.

That ex­iles here awhile in flesh
Some ear­nest may our souls re­fresh
Of that pure life for which we long,
Some fore­taste of the heav’n­ly song.

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.