The day is gently sinking to a close

The day is gently sinking to a close

Author: Christopher Wordsworth (1863)
Tune: NACHTLIED
Published in 148 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 The day is gently sinking to a close,
Fainter and yet more faint the sunlight glows;
O Brightness of Thy Father's glory,
Thou Eternal Light of Light, be with us now;
Where Thou art present, darkness cannot be,
Midnight is glorious noon, O Lord, with Thee.

2 Our changeful lives are ebbing to an end:
Onward to darkness and to death we tend:
O Conqueror of the grave, be Thou our guide,
Be thou our light (dim) in death's dark eventide;
Then in our mortal hour will be no gloom,
No sting in death, no terror in the tomb.

3 Thou, Who in darkness walking didst appear
Upon the waves, and Thy disciples cheer,
Come, Lord in lonesome days, when storms assail,
And earthly hopes and human succours fail:
When all is dark (er) may we behold Thee nigh,
And hear Thy voice, "Fear not, for it is I."

4 The weary world is mouldering to decay,
Its glories wane, its pageants fade away;
In that last sunset when the stars shall fall,
May we arise awakened by Thy call,
With Thee, O Lord, for ever to abide
In that blest day which has no eventide.


Source: The Church Hymnal: containing hymns approved and set forth by the general conventions of 1892 and 1916; together with hymns for the use of guilds and brotherhoods, and for special occasions (Rev. ed) #7

Author: Christopher Wordsworth

Christopher Wordsworth--nephew of the great lake-poet, William Wordsworth--was born in 1807. He was educated at Winchester, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A., with high honours, in 1830; M.A. in 1833; D.D. in 1839. He was elected Fellow of his College in 1830, and public orator of the University in 1836; received Priest's Orders in 1835; head master of Harrow School in 1836; Canon of Westminster Abbey in 1844; Hulsean Lecturer at Cambridge in 1847-48; Vicar of Stanford-in-the-Vale, Berks, in 1850; Archdeacon of Westminster, in 1865; Bishop of Lincoln, in 1868. His writings are numerous, and some of them very valuable. Most of his works are in prose. His "Holy Year; or, Hymns for Sundays, Holidays, and other occ… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: The day is gently sinking to a close
Author: Christopher Wordsworth (1863)
Meter: 10.10.10.10.10.10
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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Instances

Instances (1 - 3 of 3)

The Baptist Hymnal #60

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #1169

Church Hymnal, Mennonite #206

Include 145 pre-1979 instances
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