Skip to content

A copy of Advent Hymnals. Open this page on adventhymnals.org →

Church Hymnal 43

When Morning Gilds the Skies

Words: AnonymousMusic: Joseph BarnbyTune: Laudes Domini6.6.6.6.D

1When morning gilds the skies,
My heart awaking cries:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer
To Jesus I repair:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

2When sleep her balm denies,
My silent spirit sighs:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
When evil thoughts molest,
With this I shield my breast:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

3Does sadness fill my mind?
A solace here I find:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Or fades my earthly bliss?
My comfort still is this:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

4The night becomes as day
When from the heart we say:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear
When this sweet chant they hear:
May Jesus Christ be praised!

Words
Anonymous; tr. Edward Caswall
Meter
6.6.6.6.D
Scripture
Psalm 113:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
6.6.6.6.6.6 · the hymnal prints 6.6.6.6.D
Foot
iambic (da-DUM) · 81% of beats fit
Rhyme
AABCCB
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

When morning gilds the skies,//˘/˘/6A
My heart awaking cries:˘/˘/˘/6A
May Jesus Christ be praised!˘/˘/˘/6B
Alike at work and prayer˘/˘/˘/6C
To Jesus I repair:˘/˘˘˘/6C
May Jesus Christ be praised!˘/˘/˘/6B

Verse 2

When sleep her balm denies,//˘/˘/6A
My silent spirit sighs:˘/˘/˘/6A
May Jesus Christ be praised!˘/˘/˘/6B
When evil thoughts molest,//˘/˘/6C
With this I shield my breast:˘˘˘/˘/6C
May Jesus Christ be praised!˘/˘/˘/6B

Verse 3

Does sadness fill my mind?˘/˘/˘/6A
A solace here I find:˘/˘/˘/6A
May Jesus Christ be praised!˘/˘/˘/6B
Or fades my earthly bliss?˘/˘/˘/6C
My comfort still is this:˘/˘/˘˘6C
May Jesus Christ be praised!˘/˘/˘/6B

Verse 4

The night becomes as day˘/˘/˘/6A
When from the heart we say:/˘˘/˘/6A
May Jesus Christ be praised!˘/˘/˘/6B
The powers of darkness fear˘/˘˘/˘/7C
When this sweet chant they hear:/˘//˘/6C
May Jesus Christ be praised!˘/˘/˘/6B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.