Arise, Shine, for Your Light Is Come (Isaiah 60:1-5, 14, 20)

Hymn Information

First Line: Behold, darkness shall cover the earth
Paraphraser: Eric Glass (1974 (ren.), alt.)
Tune Name: ARISE, SHINE
Composer: Eric Glass (1974)
Arranger: Dale Grotenhuis, 1931-2012 (1986)
Topic: Church Year: Epiphany · Darkness · God As: Light · Joy · Sorrow

Copyright Information

Text Copyright

Tune Copyright

Reprint/Projection Information

Words and Music: Permitted with a license from OneLicense.net. If you do not own this license, please contact the copyright holder for permission.

Scripture References

Quoted or directly alluded to:

Isaiah 60:1-20

Thematically related:

st. 1 =
Isaiah 60:2
st. 2 =
Isaiah 60:3
·
Isaiah 60:14
st. 3 =
Isaiah 60:4
st. 4 =
Isaiah 60:5
st. 5 =
Isaiah 60:1
·
Isaiah 60:19-20

Further Reflections on Scripture References

Isaiah 60, the text for "Arise, Shine," concerns the glory of Zion, that is, Jerusalem and all of Israel. Many interpreters also understand the chapter to be a far-reaching prophecy, similar to passages in Revelation that describe the new Jerusalem. With New Testament eyes we can catch a glimpse of the new city of God and of the glory of a new heaven and a new earth. Parts of this song also have ongoing significance–for example, the ingathering of the church mentioned in stanzas 2 and 3. As is common with prophetic texts, parts are fulfilled already, but other parts (and sometimes even the same parts) will have their final fulfillment sometime in the future. The prophecy mentioned in stanza 1, for example, is fulfilled at the first coming of Christ but waits for its final completion at his second coming.

Psalter Hymnal Handbook

Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Further Reflections on Confessions and Statements of Faith References

In stanza 2 of “Arise, Shine, for Your Light Is Come” “the nations” rise to joyfully praise Jesus and come to his light. Our World Belongs to God, paragraph 21, leads us to profess that the Lord promised to be God to Abraham and Sarah and their children, “blessing the nations through them” and shaping them to be a people who will be “a light to the nations.” In these words we catch a glimpse of what Heidelberg Catechism teaches us in Lord’s Day 21, Question and Answer 54, that Christ “through his Spirit and Word”…will gather a church “from the entire human race.”

103

Arise, Shine, for Your Light Is Come (Isaiah 60:1-5, 14, 20)

Call to Worship

Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth

and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the Lord rises upon you

and his glory appears over you.

Nations will come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

—Isaiah 60:1-3, NIV

— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

A text especially mindful of children

Arise, shine, for your light has come!

The glory of the Lord has risen upon us.

Let us praise the Lord together.

The sun shall no longer be our light by day,

nor will the brightness of the moon shine on us,

for the Lord will be our light,

and our God will be our glory.

The Lord will be our everlasting light,

and our days of sorrow will end.

Come, let us sing to our light and salvation!

—based on Isaiah 60

[The Worship Sourcebook]

— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Everlasting God,

you brought the nations to your light

and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Fill the world with your glory,

and show yourself to all the nations,

through him who is the true light

and the bright morning star,

Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Assurance

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name,

he gave the right to become children of God.

—John 1:9, 12, NIV

— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you,

that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him

while we are walking in darkness,

we lie and do not do what is true;

but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light,

we have fellowship with one another,

and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

—1 John 1:5-7, NRSV

— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Blessing/Benediction

As we leave this service of worship,

let us go as the Magi left the infant Jesus,

rejoicing on our way that we have seen the living Lord,

ready to return to our daily life and work,

spreading the good news of Jesus the Christ.

Receive now these words of promise and blessing

from our Lord Jesus Christ:

Remember, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.

Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Do not be afraid.

I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness

but will have the light of life.

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.

Abide in my love.”

Thanks be to God.

And let all God’s people say:

Amen.

—from Matthew 28:20; John 14:27; 15:8; 8:12

[The Worship Sourcebook]

— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Almighty God has given each of us everything we need

to see our lives as a sheer gift from his hand:

The Father has created us and sustains our lives daily;

the Son has paid for our sins and brought us new life;

the Spirit keeps us in our Savior’s love

and empowers us to live for him.

All glory be to the triune God,

the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

May his name be honored and adored,

now and forevermore.

Beloved children of God:

May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love for you,

and keep you in his peace.

May you receive strength

to grow in faith, hope, and love,

to live with joy and delight,

and to give God thanks and praise. Amen.

[The Worship Sourcebook]

— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

Additional Prayers

We pray, Lord, as you shine the light of your Word on us,

that your glory will rise upon us by the power of your Spirit.

Darkness may cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples,

but, we pray, rise upon us, that your glory may appear to the world.

Nations will come to the light of your Word,

and peoples will be drawn to the brightness of your coming.

Help us, Lord, to lift our eyes to you, to hear you speak,

and to listen with open hearts to your gospel.

Empower us to respond to your Word with obedience,

and help us to be your shining lights in the universe.

We pray in the name of Christ, the light of the world. Amen.

—based on Isaiah 60:1-4a

[The Worship Sourcebook]

— Worship Sourcebook Edition Two

103

Arise, Shine, for Your Light Is Come (Isaiah 60:1-5, 14, 20)

Tune Information

Name: ARISE, SHINE
Key: e minor
Meter: irregular

Recordings

Musical Suggestion

The stanzas of this hymn may look difficult for a congregation to learn because of the many rhythmic variants caused by the irregular meter. (There are no two stanzas with the same number of syllables, and one line may vary as much as four syllables from one stanza to another.)

With this difficulty in mind, I composed an anthem arrangement for this hymn in which soloist or choir sing the stanzas and a choir with congregation responds with the refrains. The folk-like nature of the melody suggested an accompaniment of piano with flute. This anthem is available from Selah Publishing, (#241-198).

When first introducing this hymn to the congregation, consider asking the congregation to sing only the last two refrains, giving them a chance to become familiar with the tune. As the hymn becomes more familiar, invite the congregation to join in on all the refrains and eventually on some of the stanzas.

(from Reformed Worship, Issue 17)

— Davis Folkerts

103

Arise, Shine, for Your Light Is Come (Isaiah 60:1-5, 14, 20)

Hymn Story/Background

Isaiah 60, the text for "Arise, Shine," concerns the glory of Zion, that is, Jerusalem and all of Israel. Many interpreters also understand the chapter to be a far-reaching prophecy, similar to passages in Revelation that describe the new Jerusalem. With New Testament eyes we can catch a glimpse of the new city of God and of the glory of a new heaven and a new earth. Parts of this song also have ongoing significance–for example, the ingathering of the church mentioned in stanzas 2 and 3. As is common with prophetic texts, parts are fulfilled already, but other parts (and sometimes even the same parts) will have their final fulfillment sometime in the future. The prophecy mentioned in stanza 1, for example, is fulfilled at the first coming of Christ but waits for its final completion at his second coming.

Composed by Eric Glass (a pseudonym for David Loden) in 1974, this song gained rightful popularity after being published in Cry Hosanna (1980) with instructions for hand gestures.

— Bert Polman

Composer Information

Dale Grotenhuis (b. Cedar Grove, WI, 1931; d. Jenison, Mi, August 17, 2012) was a member of the 1987 Psalter Hymnal 1987 Revision Committee, and was professor of music and director of choral music at Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa, from 1960 until he retired in 1994 to concentrate on composition. Educated at Calvin College; Michigan State University, Lansing; and Ohio State University, Columbus; he combined teaching with composition throughout his career and was a widely published composer of choral music. He also directed the Dordt choir in a large number of recordings, including many psalm arrangements found in the 1959 edition of the Psalter Hymnal.

— Bert Polman

Author and Composer Information

Little is known about Eric Glass, a pseudonym for David Loden, Messianic Jewish composer and recording artist of worship songs, many based on Scripture. Since first publishing this setting of Isaiah 60 under his pseudonym, he has more recently released recordings under his own name.

— Emily Brink