Before the Day Draws Near Its Ending

Before the day draws near its end­ing

And ev­en­ing steals o’er earth and sky

Once more to Thee our hymns as­cend­ing

Shall speak Thy prais­es

Lord most high.

Thy name is blessed by count­less num­bers

In vast­er worlds

un­seen

un­known

Whose du­te­ous ser­vice nev­er slum­bers

In per­fect love

and fault­less tone.

Yet Thou will not des­pise the weak­est

Who here in spir­it bend the knee;

Thy Christ hath said

Thou

Fa­ther

seek­est

For such as these to wor­ship thee.

And through the swell of chant­ing voic­es

The blend­ed notes of age and youth

Thine ear des­cends

Thy love re­joic­es

When hearts rise up to Thee in truth.

O Light all clear

O Truth all ho­ly

O bound­less Mer­cy

par­don­ing all;

Before Thy feet

ab­ashed and low­ly

With one last pray­er Thy child­ren fall.

When we no more on earth ad­ore Thee

And oth­ers wor­ship here in turn

O may we sing that song be­fore Thee

Which none but Thy re­deemed can learn.