Scripture Verse

It is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Romans 13:11

Introduction

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Ambrose of Milan
(340–397)

Words: At­trib­ut­ed to Am­brose of Mi­lan (340–397) (Vox Cla­ra Ec­ce In­to­nat). The 1632 Ro­man Bre­vi­ary re­cast the orig­in­al to En Cla­ra Vox Re­dar­gu­it. The text be­low is John H. New­man’s trans­la­tion of the 1637 ver­sion, in his Vers­es on Re­li­gious Sub­jects (Dub­lin: James Duf­fy, 1853), num­ber 63.

Music: Rath­bun Ith­amar Con­key, 1849 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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John H. Newman
(1801–1890)
National Portrait Gallery

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Lyrics

Hark, a joy­ful voice is thrill­ing,
And each dim and wind­ing way
Of the an­cient tem­ple fill­ing;
Dreams, de­part! for it is day.

Christ is com­ing—from thy bed
Earth-bound soul, awake and spring—
With the sun new-ris­en to shed
Health on hu­man suf­fer­ing.

Lo! to grant a par­don free,
Comes a will­ing Lamb from Heav’n;
Sad and tear­ful, hast­en we,
One and all, to be for­giv’n.

Once again He comes in light
Girding earth with fear and woe;
Lord! be Thou our lov­ing might,
From our guilt and ghast­ly foe.

To the Fa­ther, and the Son,
And the Spir­it, who in Heav’n
Ever wit­ness, Three and One,
Praise on earth be ev­er giv’n.