From the Lesson. [Is.60:1]

7,7,7,7,7,7

Werde Licht du Stadt der Heiden

[57]Rist.1655.

trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1855

All ye Gentile lands awake!

Thou, O Salem, rise and shine!

See the day spring o'er you break,

Heralding a morn divine,

Telling, God hath called to mind

Those who long in darkness pined.

Lo! the shadows flee away,

For our Light is come at length,

Brighter than all earthly day,

Source of being, life, and strength!

Whoso on this Light would gaze

Must forsake all evil ways.

Ah how blindly did we stray

Ere shone forth this glorious Sun,

Seeking each his separate way,

Leaving Heaven, unsought, unwon;

All our looks were earthward bent,

All our strength on earth was spent.

Earthly were our thoughts and low,

In the toils of Folly caught,

Tossed of Satan to and fro,

Counting goodness all for nought!

By the world and flesh deceived,

Heaven's true joys we disbelieved.

Then were hidden from our eyes

All the law and grace of God;

Rich and poor, the fools and wise,

Wanting light to find the road

Leading to the heavenly life,

Wandered lost in care and strife.

But the glory of the Lord

Hath arisen on us today,

We have seen the light outpoured

That must surely drive away

All things that to night belong,

All the sad earth's woe and wrong.

Thy arising, Lord, shall fill

All my thoughts in sorrow's hour;

Thy arising, Lord, shall still

All my dread of Death's dark power:

Through my smiles and through my tears

Still Thy light, O Lord, appears.

Let me, Lord, in peace depart

From this evil world to Thee;

Where Thyself sole Brightness art,

Thou hast kept a place for me:

In the shining city there

Crowns of light Thy saints shall wear.