Scripture Verse

I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. Revelation 22:16

Introduction

portrait
Ambrose of Milan (340–397)

Words: At­trib­ut­ed to Am­brose of Mi­lan (340–397) (Iam lu­cis or­to si­de­re). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John H. New­man, 1842.

Music: Lan­cas­ter Sam­uel How­ard, 1762 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of How­ard (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

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John H. Newman (1801–1890)

Lyrics

Now that the day­star glim­mers bright
We sup­pli­ant­ly pray
That He, the un­cre­at­ed Light,
May guide us on our way.

No sin­ful word, nor deed of wrong,
Nor thoughts that id­ly rove,
But sim­ple truth be on our tongue,
And in our hearts be love.

And while the hours in or­der flow,
O Christ, se­cure­ly fence
Our gates, be­lea­guered by the foe,
The gate of ev­ery sense.

And grant that to Thine hon­or, Lord,
Our dai­ly toil may tend;
That we be­gin it at Thy Word,
And in Thy fa­vor end.

To God the Fa­ther glo­ry be,
And to His on­ly Son,
And to the Spi­rit, One and Three,
While end­less ag­es run.