Scripture Verse

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Revelation 1:8

Introduction

portrait
William C. Gannett (1840–1923)

Words: Will­iam C. Gan­nett, in A Cho­rus of Faith, 1893.

Music: Ni­caea John B. Dykes, in Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1861 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
John B. Dykes (1823–1876)

Lyrics

Bring, O morn, thy mu­sic!
Night, thy star­lit si­lence!
Oceans, laugh the rap­ture
To the storm winds cours­ing free!
Suns and pla­nets cho­rus,
Thou art our cre­at­or,
Who wert, and art,
And ev­er­more shalt be!

Life and death, Thy crea­tures,
Praise Thee, mighty Giv­er!
Praise and pray­er are ris­ing
In Thy beast and bird and tree:
Lo! they praise and van­ish,
Vanish at Thy bid­ding,
Who wert, and art,
And ev­er­more shalt be!

Light us! lead us! love us!
Cry Thy grop­ing na­tions,
Pleading in the thou­sand tongues,
But nam­ing on­ly Thee,
Weaving blind­ly out
Thy holy, hap­py pur­pose,
Who wert, and art,
And ev­er­more shalt be!

Life nor death can part us,
O Thou Love eter­nal,
Shepherd of the wan­der­ing star
And souls that way­ward flee!
Homeward draws the Spi­rit
To Thy Spi­rit yearn­ing,
Who wert, and art
And ev­er­more shalt be!