Scripture Verse

Thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness. 2 Samuel 22:29

Introduction

Words: Ben­ja­min Bed­dome (1717–1795). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Adapt­ed to Pub­lic Wor­ship, ed­it­ed by R. Hall (Lon­don: Bur­ton & Briggs, 1817), num­ber 692. De­light­ing in the Word.

Music: Mar­tyr­dom Hugh Wil­son, 1800. Ar­ranged by Ralph E. Hud­son, cir­ca 1885 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

Lyrics

Oh Thou who art my light, my hope,
My Sav­ior and my all,
I feel Thy truth with­in my heart,
I hear Thy gra­cious call.

Thy word like pre­cious oint­ment spreads
Sweet frag­rance through my mind,
In all my frame, so cold be­fore,
A sac­red warmth I find.

Though foes be­set on ev­ery side,
And earth­ly friends for­sake,
Here I can find a rest­ing place,
Of so­lid peace par­take.

Let Eur­ope’s sons to In­dia’s shores,
This sac­red vol­ume send;
Spread far abroad its ge­ni­al rays,
Till time its course shall end.