The Cyber Hymnal ‎#1380

1380. Evening and Morning

1. Evening and morning, sunset and dawning,
Wealth, peace and gladness, comfort in sadness,
These are Thy works; all the glory be Thine!
Times without number, awake or in slumber,
Thine eye observes us, from danger preserves us,
Causing Thy mercy upon us to shine.

2. Father, O hear me, pardon and spare me;
Calm all my terrors, blot out my errors,
That by Thine eyes they may no more be scanned.
Order my goings, direct all my doings;
As it may please Thee retain or release me;
All I commit to Thy fatherly hand.

Text Information

• First Line: Evening and morning, sunset and dawning
• Title: Evening and Morning
• Author: Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676 (1666)
• Translator (from German): Richard Massie, 1800-1887
• Meter: 10.10.10.11.11.10
• Language: English
• Source: First published in the third set of Ebeling's Pauli Gerhardi Geistliche Andachten in 1666 under the title "Morning Blessing."; Translation: 1857 edition of William Mercer's The Church Psalter and Hymn Book
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: The original German had 12 verses; the verses we are familiar with are the original verse 4 (Evening and morning) and 9 (Father, oh, hear me). Other translators of this hymn include John Kelly, who translated all 12 verses in his Paul Gerhardt's Spiritual Songs (London, 1867) and Herman H. M. Brueckner, whose translation appeared in the American Lutheran Hymnal, 1930. Ironically, Brueckner's translation did not even include the original verse 4 (Evening and Morning), the most familiar beginning verse.

Tune Information

• Name: DIE GÜLDNE SONNE
• Composer: Johann Georg Ebeling, 1637-1676
• Meter: 10.10.10.11.11.10
• Incipit: 55654 35423 21345
• Key: F Major
• Copyright: Public Domain