Office Hymns: Additional Hymns for Evening Prayer 111-123

111

O gladsome light, O grace – R Bridges trans

O gladsome Light, O grace
of God the Father's face,
the eternal splendor wearing;
celestial, holy, blest,
our Savior Jesus Christ,
joyful in thine appearing.

Now, ere day falleth quite,
we see the evening light,
our wonted hymn outpouring;
Father of might unknown,
thee, his incarnate Son,
and Holy Spirit adoring.

To thee of right belongs
all praise of holy songs,
O Son of God, Life-giver;
thee, therefore, O Most High,
the world doth glorify,
and shall exalt for ever.

112

Softly now the light of day – G Doane

Softly now the light of day
Fades upon my sight away;
Free from care, from labour free,
Lord, I would commune with Thee:

Thou, Whose all-pervading eye
Naught escapes without, within,
Pardon each infirmity,
Open fault, and secret sin.

Soon, for me, the light of day
Shall forever pass away;
Then, from sin and sorrow free,
Take me, Lord, to dwell with Thee:

Thou Who, sinless, yet hast known
All of man's infirmity;
Then, from Thine eternal throne,
Jesus, look with pitying eye.

113

Savior, breathe an evening blessing – J Edmeston

Savior, breath an evening blessing,
ere repose our spirits seal;
sin and want we come confessing:
thou can'st save, and thou canst heal.

Though destruction walk around us,
though the arrow past us fly,
angel guards from thee surround us;
we are safe if thou art nigh.

Though the night be dark and dreary,
darkness cannot hide from thee;
thou art he who, never weary,
watchest where thy people be.

Should swift death this night o'ertake us,
and our couch become our tomb,
may the morn in heav'n awake us,
clad in light and deathless bloom.

114

The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended – J Ellerton

The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall hallow now our rest.

We thank Thee that Thy Church unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.

As o'er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun, that bids us rest, is waking
Our brethren 'neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth's proud empires, pass away:
But stand, and rule, and grow for ever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.

115

God of all grace, thy mercy send - J Brownlie trans

God of all grace, Thy mercy send;
Let Thy protecting arm defend;
Save us, and keep us to the end:
Have mercy, Lord.

And through the coming hours of night,
Fill us, we pray, with holy light;
Keep us all sinless in Thy sight:
Grant this, O Lord.

May some bright messenger abide
For ever by Thy servants' side,
A faithful guardian and our guide:
Grant this, O Lord.

From every sin in mercy free,
Let heart and conscience stainless be,
That we may live henceforth for Thee:
Grant this, O Lord.

We would not be by care opprest,
But in Thy love and wisdom rest--
Give what Thou seest to be best:
Grant this, O Lord.

While we of every sin repent,
Let our remaining years be spent
In holiness and sweet content:
Grant this, O Lord.

And when the end of life is near,
May we, unshamed and void of fear,
Wait for the Judgment to appear:
Grant this, O Lord.

116

The duteous day now closeth – P Gerhardt / R Bridges trans

The duteous day now closes,
each flower and tree reposes,
shade creeps o'er wild and wood:
let us, as night is falling,
on God our maker calling,
give thanks and bless the Giver good.

Now all the heavenly splendour
breaks forth in starlight tender
from myriad worlds unknown;
and we, this marvel seeing,
forget our selfish being
for joy of beauty not our own.

Though long our mortal blindness
has missed God's loving kindness
and plunged us into strife;
yet when life's day is over,
shall death's fair night discover
the fields of everlasting life. 

 

117

Sweet Savior, bless us ere we go – F Faber

Sweet Savior, bless us ere we go;
thy word into our minds instill,
and make our lukewarm hearts to glow
with lowly love and fervent will.
Refrain:
Through life's long day and death's dark night,
O gentle Jesus, be our Light.

The day is done, its hours have run,
and thou hast taken count of all,
the scanty triumphs grace hath won,
the broken vow, the frequent fall. Refrain

Grant us, dear Lord, from evil ways
true absolution and release:
and bless us, more than in past days,
with purity and inward peace. Refrain

Do more than pardon; give us joy,
sweet fear, and sober liberty,
and simple hearts without alloy
that only long to be like thee. Refrain

For all we love, the poor, the sad,
the sinful, unto thee we call;
O let thy mercy make us glad:
thou art our Jesus, and our All. Refrain

118

The sun is sinking fast – E Caswell

The sun is sinking fast,
the daylight dies;
let love awake, and pay
her evening sacrifice.

As Christ upon the cross
his head inclined,
and to his Father's hands
his parting soul resigned;

So now herself my soul
would wholly give
into his sacred charge
in whom all spirits live;

So now beneath his eye
would calmly rest,
without a wish or thought
abiding in the breast;

Save that his will be done,
whate'er betide;
dead to herself, and dead
in him to all beside.

Thus would I live: yet now
not I, but he,
in all his power and love,
henceforth alive in me.

One sacred Trinity,
one Lord divine,
may I be ever his,
and he for ever mine.

119

The day is past and over – Anatolius / Neale

The day is past and over;
all thanks, O Lord, to thee!
I pray thee now that sinless
the hours of dark may be.
O Jesus, keep me in thy sight,
and guard me through the coming night.

The joys of day are over;
I lift my heart to thee,
and ask thee that offenseless
the hours of dark may be.
O Jesus, keep me in thy sight,
and guard me through the coming night.

The toils of day are over;
I raise the hymn to thee,
and ask that free from peril
the hours of dark may be.
O Jesus, keep me in thy sight,
and guard me through the coming night.

Be thou my soul's preserver,
for thou alone dost know
how many are the perils
through which I have to go.
O loving Jesus, hear my call,
and guard and save me from them all.

120

Most Holy God, the Lord of heaven – A LeCroy trans

121

Christ, mighty Savior – A McDougal

Christ, mighty Savior,
Light of all creation,
you make the daytime
radiant with the sunlight
and to the night
give glittering adornment,
stars in the heavens.

Now comes the day's end
as the sun is setting,
mirror of daybreak,
pledge of resurrection;
while in the heavens
choirs of stars appearing
hallow the nightfall.

Therefore we come now
evening rites to offer,
joyfully chanting holy hymns
to praise you,
with all creation
joining hearts and voices
singing your glory.

Give heed, we pray you,
to our supplication,
that you may grant us
pardon for offenses,
strength for our weak hearts,
rest for aching bodies,
soothing the weary.

Though bodies slumber,
hearts shall keep their vigil,
forever resting
in the peace of Jesus,
in light or darkness
worshiping our Savior
now and forever.

122

Jesus, Redeemer of the world – Latin 10^th Century

Jesus, Redeemer of the world,
Word of the Father throned on high,
light from the light invisible,
and watchful guardian over all:

The whole creation's architect,
you set the bounds of night and day;
give to our wearied bodies rest
in night's enfolding quietness.

You broke the chains of death and hell:
Lord, free us from our ancient foe
and let him never lead astray
those you have ransomed by your blood.

Lord, while we live for this short time
as mortals clothed in earthbound frame,
refresh us now with restful sleep
that waking we may watch with you.

123

Glory to thee, my God, this night – T Ken

Glory to thee, my God, this night,
for all the blessings of the light:
keep me, O keep me, King of kings,
beneath thine own almighty wings.

Forgive me, Lord, for thy dear Son,
the ill that I this day have done;
that with the world, myself, and thee,
I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

Teach me to live, that I may dread
the grave as little as my bed;
teach me to die, that so I may
rise glorious at the awful day.

O may my soul on thee repose,
and with sweet sleep mine eyelids close;
sleep that shall me more vigorous make
to serve my God when I awake.

When in the night I sleepless lie,
my soul with heavenly thoughts supply;
let no ill dreams disturb my rest,
no powers of darkness me molest.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host:
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.