Hark, Awake! Tell Out The Story

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Harp, awake, tell out the story

Author: Henry Downton
Published in 8 hymnals

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Representative Text

1 Harp, awake! tell out the story
Of our love and joy and praise;
Lute, awake! awake our glory!
Join a thankful song to raise!
Join we, brethren faithful-hearted,
Lift the solemn voice again
O’er another year departed
Of our threescore years and ten!

2 Lo! a theme for deepest sadness,
In ourselves with sin defiled;
Lo! a theme for holiest gladness,
In our Father reconciled!
In the dust we bend before Thee,
Lord of sinless hosts above;
Yet in lowliest joy adore Thee,
God of mercy, grace, and love!

3 Gracious Savior! Thou hast lengthened
And hast blest our mortal span,
And in our weak hearts hast strengthened
What Thy grace alone began!
Still, when danger shall betide us,
Be Thy warning whisper heard;
Keep us at Thy feet, and guide us
By Thy Spirit and Thy Word!

4 Let Thy favor and Thy blessing
Crown the year we now begin;
Let us all, Thy strength possessing,
Grow in grace, and vanquish sin!
Storms are round us, hearts are quailing,
Signs in heav’n and earth and sea;
But, when heav’n and earth are failing,
Savior! we will trust in Thee!

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #16090

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Author: Henry Downton

Downton, Henry, M.A, son of Mr. John Downton, Sub-Librarian of Trinity College, Cambridge, was born at Pulverbatch, Shropshire, Feb. 12, 1818, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. 1840, and M.A. 1843. Taking Holy Orders in 1843, he became Curate of Bembridge, Isle of Wight, 1843, and of Holy Trinity, Cambridge, 1847. In 1849 he was preferred to the Incumbency of St. John's, Chatham. He went to Geneva as English Chaplain in 1857; and was appointed Rector of Hopton in 1873. He was also for some time Domestic Chaplain to the late Lord Monson. He died at Hopton, June 8, 1885. Mr. Downton published a translation of Professor Ernest Naville's Lectures on Modern Atheism, 1865; and Holy Scripture and the Temperance Qu… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Harp, awake, tell out the story
Title:	Hark, Awake! Tell Out The Story
Author:	Henry Downton
Meter:	8.7.8.7 D
Source:	The Book of Psalms by Roundell Palmer (London and Cambridge: MacMillan, 1862)
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Harp, awake! tell out the story. H. Downton. [New Year.] Appeared in Hymns for the London German Hospital, Dalston, 1848, No. 91; A. T. Russell's Psalms & Hymns, 1851, No. 64, in 4 stanzas of 8 lines; and again in the author's Hymns & Verses, 1873, p. 9. It is in several collections, including the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Church Hymns, 1871; the Westminster Abbey Hymn Book, 1883, and others. In Kennedy, 1863, No. 141, it begins with stanza i., line 5, "Sing we, brethren, faithful hearted." This in Dale's English Hymnal, 1874, is altered to "Join we, brethren, faithful hearted."

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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