NOW WITH CREATION’S MORNING SONG

“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5


Samuel Longfellow (1819-1892)
Words: Au­re­li­us Pru­den­ti­us (348-cir­ca 413) (Nox et ten­e­brae et nu­bi­la); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Ed­ward Cas­wall, Ly­ra Ca­thol­i­ca, 1849. The mod­i­fied trans­la­tion by Sam­u­el Long­fel­low, in his Hymns of the Spir­it, 1864, is giv­en be­low.

Music: Fes­tus, from a Ger­man chor­ale in the Mo­rav­i­an Psalt­er (MI­DI, score).


Now with creation’s morning song
Let us, as children of the day,
With wakened heart and purpose strong,
The works of darkness cast away.

O may the morn so pure, so clear,
Its own sweet calm in us instill!
A guileless mind, a heart sincere,
Simplicity of word and will.

And ever, as the day glides by,
May we the busy senses rein;
Keep guard upon the hand and eye,
Nor let the conscience suffer stain.

Grant us, O God, in love to Thee,
Clear eyes to measure things below;
Faith, the invisible to see;
And wisdom, Thee in all to know.