Scripture Verse

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Isaiah 60:1

Introduction

portrait
Catherine Winkworth
(1827–1878)

Words: Jo­hann Rist, 1655 (Werde Licht, du Stadt der Hei­den). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­the­rine Wink­worth, Ly­ra Ger­ma­ni­ca (Lon­don & New York: George Newnes & Charles Scrib­ner’s Sons, 1855), pag­es 23–24.

Music: Un­ser Herr­scher Jo­ach­im Ne­an­der, 1680 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
Joachim Neander
(1650–1680)

Lyrics

All ye Gen­tile lands awake!
Thou, O Sa­lem, rise and shine!
See the day-spring o’er you break,
Heralding a morn di­vine,
Telling, God hath called to mind
Those who long in dark­ness pined.

Lo! the sha­dows flee away,
For our light is come at length,
Brighter than all earth­ly day,
Source of be­ing, life and strength!
Whoso on this light would gaze
Must for­sake all ev­il ways.

Ah how blind­ly did we stray
Ere shone forth this glo­ri­ous sun,
Seeking each his se­pa­rate way,
Leaving Hea­ven, un­sought, unwon;
All our looks were earth­ward bent,
All our strength on earth was spent.

Earthly were our thoughts and low,
In the toils of fol­ly caught,
Tossed of Sa­tan to and fro,
Counting good­ness all for naught;
By the world and flesh de­ceived,
Heaven’s true joys we dis­be­lieved.

Then were hid­den from our eyes
All the law and grace of God;
Rich and poor, the fools and wise,
Wanting light to find the road
Leading to the hea­ven­ly life,
Wandered lost in care and strife.

But the glo­ry of the Lord
Hath aris­en on us to­day;
We have seen the light out­poured
That must sure­ly drive away
All things that to night be­long,
All the sad earth’s woe and wrong.

Thy aris­ing, Lord, shall fill
All my thoughts in sor­row’s hour;
Thy aris­ing, Lord, shall still
All my dread of death’s dark pow­er;
Through my smiles and through my tears
Still Thy light, O Lord, ap­pears.

Let me, Lord in peace de­part
From this ev­il world to Thee;
Where Thy­self sole Bright­ness art,
Thou hast kept a place for me:
In the shin­ing ci­ty there
Crowns of light Thy saints shall wear.