When Morning Gilds the Skies

Words: Anon. German, c. 1800, Translated by Edward Caswell, 1853, 1858

Music:   "Laudes Domini," Sir Joseph Barnby, in Hymns Ancient and Modern (London: 1868)
(If your computer has sound but the music is not playing,  click this) 

Note: The CGI hymnal only has 4 verses of this (1, 2, 11, 12).  We left in the others. Try singing the whole song sometime. Sing it loud!

 1. When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries:
    May Jesus Christ be praised!
    Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair:
    May Jesus Christ be praised!

 2. The night becomes as day when, from the heart, we say,
    May Jesus Christ be praised!
    The pow'rs of darkness fear When this sweet chant they hear,
    May Jesus Christ be praised!

 3. My tongue shall never tire of chanting with the choir,
    May Jesus Christ praised!
    This song of sacred joy, it never seems to cloy,
    May Jesus Christ praised!

 4. Does sadness fill my mind? A solace here I find,
    May Jesus Christ praised!
    Or fades my earthly bliss? My comfort still is this,
    May Jesus Christ praised!

 5. To God, the Word, on high, the host of angels cry,
    May Jesus Christ be praised!
    Let mortals, too, upraise their voice in hymns of praise,
    May Jesus Christ be praised!

 6. Be this at meals your grace, in every time and place;
    May Jesus Christ be praised!
    Be this, when day is past, of all your thoughts the last
    May Jesus Christ be praised!

 7. When mirth for music longs, this is my song of songs:
    May Jesus Christ praised!
    When evening shadows fall, this rings my curfew call,
    May Jesus Christ be praised!

 8. When sleep her balm denies, my silent spirit sighs,
    May Jesus Christ praised!
    When evil thoughts molest, with this I shield my breast,
    May Jesus Christ praised!

 9. The night becomes as day when from the heart we say:
    May Jesus Christ be praised!
    The powers of darkness fear when this sweet chant they hear:
    May Jesus Christ be praised!

10. No lovelier antiphon in all high heav'n is known
    Than, Jesus Christ be praised!
    There to the eternal Word the eternal psalm is heard:
    May Jesus Christ be praised!

11. Sing, suns and stars of space, sing, ye that see His face,
    Sing, Jesus Christ be praised!
    God's whole creation o'er, for aye and evermore
    Shall Jesus Christ be praised!

11. Ye nations of mankind, in this your concord find:
    May Jesus Christ be praised!
    Let all the earth around Ring joyous with the sound,
    May Jesus Christ be praised.

12. Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine:
    May Jesus Christ be praised!
    Be this th' eternal song through all the ages long:
    May Jesus Christ be praised!

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Page last modified on: 07/29/2004