A Morning Hymn

A Morning Hymn

While yet the sun, God's servant, waits,

And his reviving beams delays,

Around the attendant, misty earth,

A dim, cold influence plays.

Thou First! and High! and Holy One!

Our light of life from thee descends;

Thy dim reflections we, to spread

A brighter beam to earth's far ends.

How beautiful! how cool! how soft!

Sweet sounds of heavenly music play

From 'mid those rosy rays, to tell

Thy glorious resurrection day!

O Lord our God! so kind and good!

Thy chosen all, though lost in night,

More surely than this morning sun,

Shall rise to glory in thy sight!

Hallelujah! see how his glories wake anew!

As now he mounts into the midway air!

Hallelujah! so shall all thy chosen shine,

When raised by thee in beams as bright and fair!

Thou heavenly light! such as thou art!

Thy beams perpetual o'er us shine,

Renewed as often as the foam

That rises on the ocean's brine.

And shall not we arise? of all

Creations, changes though they be

Most wond'rous! and each one shall grow

More holy, since so near to thee!

Hallelujah! see how his glories wake anew!

As now he mounts into the midway air!

Hallelujah! so shall all thy chosen shine,

When raised by thee in beams as bright and fair!

Abraham Messler

New Series 1:1, p. 4

1840.03.07

From the German of Klopstock