Above:  Sunset

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1916) by Julius Ewald Kockritz (1876-1931)

Hymn Source = The Evangelical Hymnal (1917), Evangelical Synod of North America

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As fades the daylight splendor,

We crave Thy mercies tender,

Thou Lord of Life and Light,

Thy love for us abounding,

Thy strong arms, us surrounding,

Defend and shield us through the night.

+++++

Thy grace is all prevailing,

Thy mercy never failing,

E’en though our need is great.

When trials come assaulting,

O give us grace unfalt’ring,

That we trustful Thy help await.

+++++

Sometimes the way seems dreary,

And weakness makes us weary:

Do Thou then make us strong;

That, pain and grief controlling,

We look for Thy consoling;

For Thou wilt never tarry long.

+++++

And when at last the evening

Of death shall come, revealing

The passing of this clay,

Wilt Thou then hear our pleading,

And, tho’ death’s night us leading,

Bring us to life’s eternal day.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  Dusk

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America

Text by John Cennick (1718-1755)

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Ere I sleep, for every favor

Which my God hath bestowed,

I will bless my Saviour;

O my Lord, what shall I render

Unto Thee?  Thou shalt be

This night my Defender.

+++++

Thou, my Rock, my Strength, and Tower,

While I sleep, deign to keep,

Watch from hour to hour;

Visit me with Thy salvation;

Be Thou near, that Thy care

Guard my habitation.

+++++

Leave me not, but ever love me;

Let Thy peace by my bliss,

Till Thou hence remove me;

Then, aroused from peaceful slumber,

Let me rise with the wise,

Counted in their number.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  Dark Night

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America

Text by John Cennick (1718-1755)

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No farther go to-night, but stay,

Dear Savior, till the break of day;

Abide, my Lord, with me:

And in the morning when I wake,

Me under Thy protection take;

Thus day and night I spend with Thee.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  Dawn, Crater Lake National Park

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America

Text (1740, 1742) by John Cennick (1718-1755)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Rise, my soul, adore thy Maker;

Angels praise; join thy lays,

Within them be partaker:

Father, Lord of every spirit,

In Thy might, lead me right,

Through my Saviour’s merit.

+++++

O my God, be ever near me,

For Thy rest, for Thy feast,

More and more prepare me.

Still assure me of my calling,

Kept by Thee, let me be

Saved from final falling.

+++++

Thou this night wast my Protector;

With me stay, all the day,

Ever my Director.

Holy, holy, holy Giver

Of all good, life and food,

Reign adored for ever.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  Evening Sky

Image in the Public Domain

Original Syraic Text by St. Ephrem of Edessa (306/307-373)

English Translation by Francis Crawford Burkitt (1864-1935)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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Receive, O Lord, in heaven above,

Our prayers and supplications pure;

Give us a heart all full of love

And steady courage to endure.

++++++

Thy holy name our mouths confess,

Our tongues are harps to praise thy grace;

Forgive our sins and wickedness,

Who in this vigil seek thy face.

++++++

Let not our song become a sigh,

A wail of anguish and despair;

In loving-kindness, Lord most high,

Receive to-night our evening prayer.

++++++

O raise us in that day, that we

May sing, where all thy Saints adore,

Praise to thy Father, and to thee,

And to thy Spirit, evermore.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above: Suffused Light at Dawn

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1878) by Marianne Hearn (1834-1909)

Hymn Source = Worship and Song (1921), National Council of Congregational Churches

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Father most merciful!  Glad in the dawning

All things awake to sing praises to thee;

Thou art the giver of joy in the morning,

Spreading thy sunlight o’er meadow and sea.

+++++

Bright birds soar up in the thin air to greet thee,

Sweet-scented blossoms look forth for thy face;

Thy children go out into daylight to meet thee,

Finding thy footprints in every new place.

+++++

Father most merciful, give for our guerdon

Joy in thy presence whate’er may befall,

Courage to fight, or to carry the burden,

Faith to be cheerful and quiet through all.

Above:  Starry Night

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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God, that madest earth and heaven,

Darkness and light;

Who the day for toil has given,

For rest the night;

May thine Angel-guards defend us,

Slumber sweet thy mercy send us,

Holy dreams and hopes attend us,

This livelong night.

+++++

Guard us waking, guard us sleeping;

And, when we die,

May we in thy mighty keeping

All peaceful lie:

When the last dread call shall wake us,

Do not thou our God forsake us,

But to reign in glory take us

With thee on high.

Above:  Sunset in the Philippines

Image in the Public Domain

Text (1865) by the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924), for a Sunday School festival at Horbury Bridge, Yorkshire, England

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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Now the day is over,

Night is drawing nigh,

Shadows of the evening

Steal across the sky.

+++++

Now the darkness gathers,

Stars begin to peep,

Birds and beasts and flowers

Soon will be asleep.

+++++

Jesu, give the weary

Calm and sweet repose;

With thy tenderest blessing

May our eyelids close.

+++++

Grant to little children

Visions bright of thee;

Guard the sailors tossing

On the deep blue sea.

+++++

Comfort every sufferer

Watching late in pain;

Those who plan some evil

From their sin restrain.

+++++

Through the long night watches

May thine Angels spread

Their white wings above me,

Watching round my bed.

+++++

When the morning wakens,

Then may I arise

Pure, and fresh, and sinless

In thy holy eyes.

+++++

Glory to the Father,

Glory to the Son,

And to thee, blest Spirit,

Whilst all ages run.

Above:  Star Night

Image in the Public Domain

Original German Text by Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf (1700-1760)

English Translation (1769), recast in 1789 by John Swertner (1746-1813)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jesus, hear our prayer,

For Thy children care;

While we sleep, protect and bless us,

With Thy pardon now refresh us:

Leave Thy peace divine

With us, we are Thine.

Above:  Dark Night

Image in the Public Domain

Original German Text (1566) by Petrus Herbert (1530-1571)

English Translation (1863) by Catherine Winkworth (1829-1878)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Now God be with us, for the night is closing,

The light and darkness are of His disposing;

And ‘neath His shadow here to rest we yield us,

For He will shield us.

+++++

Let evil thoughts and spirits flee before us;

Till morning cometh, watch, O Master, o’er us;

In soul and body Thou from harm defend us,

Thine angels send us.

+++++

Let holy thoughts be ours when sleep o’ertakes us;

Our earliest thoughts be Thine when morning wakes us;

All sick and mourners, we to Thee commend them,

Do Thou befriend them.

+++++

We have no refuge, none on earth to aid us,

Save Thee, O Father, Who Thine own hast made us;

But Thy dear presence will not leave them lonely,

Who seek Thee only.

+++++

Father, Thy Name be praised, Thy kingdom given,

Thy will be done on earth as ’tis in heaven;

Keep us in life, forgive our sins, deliver

Us now and ever.