O day most calm, most bright

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O day most calm, most bright

Author: George Herbert
Published in 5 hymnals

Author: George Herbert

Herbert, George, M.A., the fifth son of Richard Herbert and Magdalen, the daughter of Sir Richard Newport, was born at his father's seat, Montgomery Castle, April 3, 1593. He was educated at Westminster School, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1611. On March 15, 1615, he became Major Fellow of the College, M.A. the same year, and in 1619 Orator for the University. Favoured by James I., intimate with Lord Bacon, Bishop Andrewes, and other men of influence, and encouraged in other ways, his hopes of Court preferment were somewhat bright until they were dispelled by the deaths of the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of Hamilton, and then of King James himself. Retiring into Kent, he formed the resolution of taking Holy Orders… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	O day most calm, most bright
Author:	George Herbert
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

O day, most calm, most bright. G. Herbert. [Sunday.] Appeared in The Temple, 1633, as the poem for "Sunday." In Herbert's Life, by Izaak Walton, the fifth stanza is thus referred to:—

"The Sunday before his death he rose suddenly from his bed, or couch, called for one of his instruments, took it into his hand, and said:—
"'My God, my God,
My music shall find Thee,
And every string
Shall have his attribute to sing."

And, having tuned it, he played and sung:—
"The Sundays of man's life.'"

Although this piece is really a poem rather than a hymn, it is included in a few collections, including the Hymnal appended to An Order of Prayer for Use in the Royal College of St. Peter, Westminster, &c, 1889.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

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