The Duteous Day Now Closeth

Full Text

1 The duteous day now closes,
each flower and tree reposes,
shade creeps o'er wild and wood:
let us, as night is falling,
on God our maker calling,
give thanks and bless the Giver good.

2 Now all the heavenly splendour
breaks forth in starlight tender
from myriad worlds unknown;
and we, this marvel seeing,
forget our selfish being
for joy of beauty not our own.

3 Though long our mortal blindness
has missed God's loving kindness
and plunged us into strife;
yet when life's day is over,
shall death's fair night discover
the fields of everlasting life.

Source: Common Praise #19

Author: Paul Gerhardt

Gerhardt, Paulus, son of Christian Gerhardt, burgomaster of Gräfenhaynichen, near Wittenberg, was born at Grafenhaynichen, Mar. 12, 1607. On January 2, 1628, he matriculated at the University of Wittenberg. In the registers of St. Mary's church, Wittenberg, his name appears as a godfather, on July 13, 1641, described still as "studiosus," and he seems to have remained in Wittenberg till at least the end of April, 1642. He appears to have gone to Berlin in 1642 or 1643, and was there for some time (certainly after 1648) a tutor in the house of the advocate Andreas Barthold, whose daughter (Anna Maria, b. May 19, 1622, d. March 5, 1668) became his wife in 1655. During this period he seems to have frequently preached in Berlin. He was appoint… Go to person page >

Translator (and others): Robert Seymour Bridges

(no biographical information available about Robert Seymour Bridges.) Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: The duteous day now closeth
Title: The Duteous Day Now Closeth
Author: Paul Gerhardt
Translator (and others): Robert Seymour Bridges
Meter: 7.7.6.7.7.8
Language: English

Timeline

Instances

Instances (3)TextImageAudioScore
Common Praise #19Text
Hymnal 1982: according to the use of the Episcopal Church #46TextImage
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard Edition #17