Today, I begin a two-month sabbatical from my work in church life and ministry.
That aside, for some reason this morning, I’ve had ‘When morning gilds the skies’ playing on a loop in my head!
When morning gilds the skies,
My heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer
To Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
I haven’t sung it for years, probably decades, so not quite sure why it should pop up today.
The one line struck me – ‘Alike at work and prayer’ – and I wondered if this was a reference to the workplace or to ‘Christian work’. No matter, I’ll claim it as a line asking God’s blessing on our work.
For the sake of fullness, here are the other great verses:
To Thee, my God above,
I cry with glowing love,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The fairest graces spring
In hearts that ever sing,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Does sadness fill my mind?
A solace here I find,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss?
My comfort still is this,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When evil thoughts molest,
With this I shield my breast,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear,
When this sweet chant they hear,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When sleep her balm denies,
My silent spirit sighs,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The night becomes as day,
When from the heart we say,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this, while life is mine,
My canticle divine,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this th’ eternal song
Through all the ages long,
May Jesus Christ be praised!
I’ve just discovered a 15-verse version here!
The words are rom the Katholisches Gesangbuch (Würzburg, Germany: c. 1744), translated from German by Edward Caswall (1814–1878).
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