O God, be­fore Thy sun’s bright beams
All night’s dark sha­dows fly;
So on the soul Thy mer­cy gleams,
And doubts and ter­rors die.

So fresh­ly falls Thy hea­ven sent grace
As morn­ing’s glad­den­ing breath;
Gives light to all to seek Thy face,
And guides in life and death.

O ho­ly light! O light of God!
O light un­seen be­low,
Which fills the courts of Thine abode,
Which there the blest shall know!

Swift comes the hour when none can toil,
Short is the rug­ged way:
Teach us our lamps to fill with oil,
Whilst it is called to­day.

Then we shall see that glo­ri­ous light
Which to the saints is giv­en,
So sweet, so fair, so pass­ing bright,
The eter­nal morn of hea­ven.

O Fa­ther, Son, and Holy Ghost,
O holy One in Three,
Grant us, with all Thy glo­ri­ous host,
To share that morn with Thee.