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Tuesday, March 18, 2014

When morning gilds the skies...


Sunrise sky with  Moon setting!

These were taken out of my bedroom window as I pulled the curtains back this morning! 
It brought to mind the first lines of an old hymn I haven't thought of for years: 
When morning gilds the skies
 my heart awakening cries: 
 May Jesus Christ be praised! 
It's wonderful how songs seem to stay in the memory bank and pop out at significant times. 
If you are interested in the whole hymn here are four verses. (One site gives 12 verses!!) The original was composed in German in 1744 and later translated into English:

         When morning gilds the skies
            my heart awakening cries: 
            May Jesus Christ be praised! 
            Alike at work and prayer,
            to Jesus I repair: 
            May Jesus Christ be praised! 

          The night becomes as day
            when from the heart we say: 
            May Jesus Christ be praised! 
            The powers of darkness fear
            when this sweet chant they hear: 
            May Jesus Christ be praised! 

         Let all the earth around
            ring joyous with the sound: 
            May Jesus Christ be praised! 
            In heaven's eternal bliss
            the loveliest strain is this:
            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!