How oft the day of God returns

Representative Text

1 How oft the day of God returns
To shed its quick'ning beams;
And yet how slow devotion burns,
How languid are its flames.

2 Accept our faint attempts to love;
Our sins, O Lord, forgive;
We would be like Thy saints above,
And praise Thee while we live.

3 Increase, O Lord, our faith and hope,
And fit us to ascend
Where the assembly ne'er breaks up,
Thy worship ne'er shall end;

4 When we shall with the ransomed throng,
The Savior's praise proclaim,
And give in an eternal song
All glory to His Name.

Source: Evangelical Lutheran hymnal: with music #308a

Author: Simon Browne

Simon Browne was born at Shepton Mallet, Somersetshire, about 1680. He began to preach as an "Independent" before he was twenty years of age, and was soon after settled at Portsmouth. In 1716, he became pastor in London. In 1723, he met with some misfortunes, which preyed upon his mind, and produced that singular case of monomania, recorded in the text-books of Mental Philosophy; he thought that God had "annihilated in him the thinking substance, and utterly divested him of consciousness." "Notwithstanding," says Toplady, "instead of having no soul, he wrote, reasoned, and prayed as if he had two." He died in 1732. His publications number twenty-three, of which some are still in repute. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins,… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: How oft the day of God returns
Author: Simon Browne
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

EVAN (Havergal)

This tune is likely the work of the composer named here, but has also been attributed to others as shown in the instances list.

Go to tune page >


ST. ANDREW (Tans'ur)


Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 6 of 6)

Collection of Hymns for Public and Private Worship. 4th ed. #d130

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal #308

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran hymnal #308a

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran hymnal #308b

TextPage Scan

Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal. 9th ed. #a308

The Sunday School Hymnal #d79

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us