The Vesper Hour

In my heart a song is ris­ing

Holy peace of twi­light calm

As the Sab­bath breathes its bless­ing

Vesper hour

of hal­lowed calm.

Thought of God among us fall­en

Kindled by His breath di­vine

Is the won­drous pow’r unit­ing

Myriad hearts at ves­per shrine.

Vesper hour

the soul at lei­sure

Climbs a sac­red Pis­gah height

Views the Pro­mised Land be­fore us

Arched by God’s bright bow of light;

Earth and Heav­en seem meet­ing

blend­ing

In this rich­ly freight­ed hour

Wondrous is the pre­sence round us

Thrilling with a mys­tic pow­er.

Clouds of in­cense sweet as­cend­ing

From heart al­tars to the Lord

Prayers from lov­ing

wait­ing serv­ants

One be­fore the throne of God;

Added sweet­ness to the Sab­bath

Comes with ves­per hal­lowed time

Like clear bells in sil­ver chor­us

With their mel­low dist­ant chime.

Some glad day

’neath flow­ery arch­es

Of our heav­en­ly Fa­ther’s love

Through the gates in­to the ci­ty

May we pass to joy ab­ove!

Here

we list the sweet-toned ec­ho

In our Fa­ther’s gra­cious Word;

There

we join the sound­ing an­them

Al­le­lu­ia! praise the Lord!