An end of day hymn, another of the songs that sadly don’t seem to have end of day services of worship at which to be sung.
The words of the first verse are by Reginald Heber, writer of Holy, Holy, Holy, with the second verse having been added later.
The tune of preference is the Welsh melody known as AR HYD Y NOS, appropriately enough associated with the song All Through The Night.
The lyrics:
1.
God, that madest earth and heaven,
darkness and night,
who the day for toil has given,
for rest the night;
may thine angel-guards defend us,
slumber sweet thy mercy send us,
holy dreams and hope attend us,
this livelong night.
2.
Guard us waking, guard us sleeping;
and, when we die,
may we in thy mighty keeping
all peaceful lie;
when the last dread call shall wake us,
do not thou our God forsake us,
but to reign in glory take us
with thee on high.
