What Marks the Dawning of the Year?

What marks the dawn­ing of the year

From any oth­er morn?

No fest­al garb doth na­ture wear

Because a year is born.

The sky is not more full of light

The air more full of song;

And

si­lent from the caves of night

The gray hours glide along.

And I

to whose awak­ened eyes

So fair this morn ap­pears—

How know I where to­mor­row lies?

God grants not life by years.

Father! to­day up­on my head

Thy hand in bless­ing lay;

Give us this day our dai­ly bread

Renew our hearts to­day.

Our Lord and Sav­ior! all we ask

Is that

through Thee for­giv’n

To us each day our dai­ly task

Our dai­ly strength be giv’n.

And when at last the trump of doom

Its long peal sends abroad

We

glad with­in Thy hea­v’n­ly home

May keep the Day of God.