When the Golden Evening Gathered

When the gold­en ev­en­ing ga­thered

On the shore of Ga­li­lee

When the fish­ing boats lay qui­et by the sea

Long ago the peo­ple won­dered

Though no sign was in the sky

For the glo­ry of the Lord was pass­ing by.

Not in robes of pur­ple splen­dor

Not in silk­en soft­ness shod

But in rai­ment worn with tra­vel came their God;

And the peo­ple knew His pre­sence

By the heart that ceased to sigh

When the glo­ry of the Lord was pass­ing by.

For He healed their sick at ev­en

And He cured the le­per’s sore

So that sin­ful men and wom­en sinned no more;

And the world grew mirth­ful-heart­ed

And for­got its mi­se­ry

When the glo­ry of the Lord was pass­ing by.

Not in robes of pur­ple splen­dor

But in lives that do His will

And in pa­tient acts of kind­ness He comes still;

And the peo­ple cry with won­der

Though no sign is in the sky

That the glo­ry of the Lord is pass­ing by.