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481

My Lord, What a Morning

Full Text

Refrain:
My Lord, what a *morning!
My Lord, what a morning!
Oh, my Lord, what a morning,
when the stars begin to fall,
when the stars begin to fall.

1 You will hear the trumpet sound
to wake the nations underground,
looking to my God’s right hand
when the stars begin to fall. [Refrain]

2 You will hear the sinner cry
To wake the nations underground,
Looking to my God’s right hand
When the stars begin to fall. [Refrain]

3 You will hear the Christian shout
To wake the nations underground,
Looking to my God’s right hand
When the stars begin to fall. [Refrain]

* In the oral traditions this has been received as morning, mourning and moaning

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Scripture References

Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Further Reflections on Confessions and Statements of Faith References

Belgic Confession, Article 37, perhaps more than any, spells out what believers anticipate and how this fills us with hope and comfort:

 

“All human creatures will appear in person before the great judge…summoned there ‘with the archangel’s call and the sound of God’s trumpet’.”

 

“And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed ‘in the twinkling of an eye’ from perishable to imperishable.”

 

“Therefore, with good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished...”

 

“The faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the human heart could never imagine.”

 
“So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”

481

My Lord, What a Morning

Tune Information

Name
WHAT A MORNING
Key
F Major
Meter
8.8.7.7 refrain 6.6.7.7

Recordings

481

My Lord, What a Morning

Hymn Story/Background

This African American Spiritual was, like many spirituals, based on words of existing hymns. “My Lord, What a Morning,” was based on a hymn by the same name published in Richard Allen’s 1801 hymnal, A Collection of Spiritual Songs and Hymns (Richard Allen was the founding bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church). 
— Laura de Jong

Composer Information

Melva Wilson Costen, visiting Professor of Liturgical Studies at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, Fall, 2005, retired as Helmar Emil Nielsen Professor of Worship and Music, after thirty-two years at Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta GA, in July, 2005. Prior to this tenure, she served for twenty years as music teacher and organist/choir director in North Carolina and Georgia. She earned the B.A. degree at Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, NC; the Master of Arts in Teaching Music degree at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC; and the Ph.D. at Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA. She holds two Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degrees, and is an Elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA).

She chaired the committee that developed The Presbyterian Hymnal: Hymns, Psalms and Spiritual Songs, (Westminster John Knox Press, 1990, and served on the Advisory Committee for the African American Heritage Hymnal, (GIA: 2001. Her publications include: In Spirit and In Truth (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2004), African American Christian Worship, rev. ed. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2007), The Black Christian Worship Experience, (Atlanta: ITC1992) and African American Worship: Faith Looking Forward (Atlanta: ITC 2000). 
— Yale Faculty Bio (http://www.yale.edu/ism/events/WorshipConference_mcosten.html)

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