Away with our fears, The glad morning appears

Away with our fears, The glad morning appears

Author: Charles Wesley
Published in 46 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Away with our fears,
The glad morning appears,
When an heir of salvation was born!
From Jehovah I came,
For his glory I am,
And to him I with singing return.

2 Thee, Jesus, alone,
The fountain I own
Of my life and felicity here:
And cheerfully sing
My Redeemer and King,
Till his signs in the heav'ns appear.

3 With thanks I rejoice
In thy fatherly choice
Of my state and condition below;
If of parents I came
Who honour'd thy name,
'Twas thy wisdom appointed it so.

4 I sing of thy grace,
From my earliest days,
Ever near to allure and defend;
Hitherto thou hast been
My preserver from sin,
And I trust thou wilt save to the end.

5 O the infinite cares
And temptations and snares
Thy hand hath conducted me through!
O the blessings bestow'd
By a bountiful God,
And the mercies eternally new!

6 What a mercy is this,
What a heaven of bliss,
How unspeakably happy am I!
Gather'd into the fold,
With thy people enroll'd,
With thy people to live and to die!

7 O the goodness of God
In employing a clod
His tribute of glory to raise!
His standard to bear,
And with triumph declare
His unspeakable riches of grace!

8 O the fathomless love,
That has deign'd to approve,
And prosper the work of my hands!
With my pastoral crook
I went over the brook,
And, behold! I am spread into bands!

9 Who, I ask in amaze,
Hath begotten me these!
And inquire from what quarter they come?
My full heart it replies,
They are born from the skies,
And give glory to God and the Lamb.

10 All honour and praise
To the Father of grace,
To the Spirit, and Son I return!
The business pursue
He hath made me to do,
And rejoice that I ever was born.

11 In a rapture of joy
My life I employ,
The God of my life to proclaim;
'Yis worth living for this,
To administer bliss
And salvation in Jesus's name.

12 My remnant of days
I spend in his praise,
Who died the whole world to redeem
Be they many or few,
My days are his due,
They all are devoted to him!

Source: A Pocket Hymn Book: designed as a constant companion for the pious, collected from various authors (9th ed.) #CCVI [CCV]

Author: Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

Notes

Away with my [our] fears! The glad morning appears. C. Wesley. [Thanksgiving.] This hymn was written for use on the celebration of a Birthday, and in many respects it is eminently suited thereto. It was first published in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1749, vol. ii., No. 190, in 14 stanzas of 6 lines, and entitled "On his Birthday." Under the date "June 17, 1788," J. Wesley refers to this hymn in the following manner:—

"I this day enter on my eighty-fifth year; and what cause have I to praise God, as for a thousand spiritual blessings, so for bodily blessings also! How little have I suffered yet by the rush of numerous years! . . . Even now, though I find daily pain in my eye, or temple, or arm, yet it is never violent, and seldom lasts many minutes at a time. Whether or not this is sent to give me warning that I am shortly to quit this tabernacle, I do not know; but be it one way or the other, I have only to say:—

‘My remnant of days I spend in His praise,
Who died the whole world to redeem:
My days are His due,
Be they many or few,
And they all are devoted to Him.'“

When included in the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 221, stanzas ii. and xi. were omitted. This form is repeated in the new edition, 1875, and also in numerous hymnals of the Methodist bodies at home and abroad. Original text in Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. v. p. 400.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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