Scripture Verse

The darkness is past, and the true light now shines. 1 John 2:8

Introduction

portrait
Samuel F. Smith
(1808–1895)

Words: Sam­uel F. Smith, 1832. Smith wrote this hymn think­ing of the ov­er­seas Pro­test­ant mis­sions, which were just in their be­gin­ning stag­es. They went far to­ward achiev­ing their goal, for 50 years lat­er, he wrote: I have heard ver­sions of it sung in Kar­en, Bur­man, Ita­li­an, Spa­nish, Por­tu­guese, Swed­ish, Ger­man, and Te­le­gu.

Music: Webb George J. Webb, 1830 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a bet­ter pho­to of Webb,

portrait
George Webb (1803–1887)

Lyrics

The morn­ing light is break­ing,
The dark­ness dis­ap­pears;
The sons of earth are wak­ing,
To pe­ni­ten­tial tears;
Each breeze that sweeps the ocean
Brings tid­ings from afar
Of na­tions in com­mo­tion,
Prepared for Zi­on’s war.

Rich dews of grace come o’er us,
In ma­ny a gen­tle show­er,
And bright­er scenes be­fore us,
Are op­en­ing ev­ery hour;
Each cry to Hea­ven go­ing,
Abundant an­swers brings,
And heav’n­ly winds are blow­ing,
With peace up­on their wings.

See hea­then na­tions bend­ing
Before the God we love,
And thou­sand hearts as­cend­ing
In gra­ti­tude above:
While sin­ners, now con­fess­ing,
The Gos­pel call ob­ey,
And seek the Sav­ior’s bless­ing,
A na­tion in a day.

Blest ri­ver of sal­va­tion,
Pursue thy on­ward way;
Flow thou to ev­ery na­tion,
Nor in thy rich­es stay:
Stay not till all the low­ly
Triumphant reach their home;
Stay not till all the holy
Proclaim, The Lord is come.