Scripture Verse

I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. Revelation 22:16

Introduction

portrait
William P. Merrill (1867–1954)

Words: Phi­lip Dodd­ridge (1702–1751). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Found­ed on Va­ri­ous Texts in the Ho­ly Scrip­tures, by Job Or­ton (Shrop­shire, Eng­land: Jo­shua Ed­dowes & John Cot­ton, 1755), num­ber 359. Christ the root and off­spring of Da­vid, and the morn­ing-star.

Music: Sol­diers of Christ Will­iam P. Mer­rill, 1895 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

  • Snowfield Low­ell Ma­son, Car­mi­na Sac­ra (Bos­ton Mas­sa­chu­setts: John H. Wil­kins & Ri­chard B. Car­ter, 1844) (🔊 pdf nwc)
portrait
Philip Doddridge
(1702–1751)

Lyrics

All hail, mys­te­ri­ous King!
Hail, David’s an­cient root!
Thou right­eous Branch,
Which thence did spring,
To give the na­tions fruit.

Our wea­ry souls shall rest
Beneath Thy grate­ful shade;
Our thirst­ing lips
Salvation taste;
Our faint­ing hearts are glad.

Fair Morn­ing-Star, arise,
With liv­ing glo­ries bright,
And pour on these
Awakening eyes
A flood of sac­red light.

The hor­rid gloom is fled,
Pierced by Thy beau­te­ous ray;
Shine, and our wan­d’ring
Footsteps lead
To ev­er­last­ing day.