O Lord of Life, to Thee We Lift

Above:  Sunbeams Through Clouds

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1897) by Washington Gladden (1836-1918)

Hymn Source = The Hymnbook (1955), Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Reformed Church in America, Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., United Presbyterian Church of North America, and Presbyterian Church in the United States

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1.  O Lord of life, to Thee we lift

Our hearts in praise for those,

Thy prophets, who have shown Thy gift

Of grace that ever grows,

Of truth that spreads from shore to shore to shore,

Of wisdom’s widening ray,

Of light that shineth more and more

Unto Thy perfect day.

2.  Shine forth, O Light, that we may see,

With hearts all unafraid,

The meaning and the mystery

Of things that Thou hast made:

Shine forth, and let the darkling past

Beneath Thy beam grow bright;

Shine forth, and touch the future vast

With Thine untroubled light.

3.  Light up Thy Word; the fettered page

From killing bondage free:

Light up our way; lead forth this age

In love’s large liberty.

O Light of light! within us dwell,

Through us Thy radiance pour,

That word and life Thy truths may tell,

And praise Thee evermore.