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O Day of Radiant Gladness
1. O day of radiant gladness,
O day of joy and light,
O balm of care and sadness,
Most beautiful, most bright;
This day the high and lowly,
Through ages joined in tune,
Sing "Holy, holy, holy"
To the great God triune.
2. This day at the creation
The light first had its birth;
This day for our salvation
Christ rose from depths of earth;
This day our Lord victorious
The Spirit sent from heaven,
And thus this day most glorious
A triple light was given.
3. This day God's people, meeting,
The Holy Scripture hear;
Christ's living presence greeting,
Through bread and wine made near.
We journey on, believing,
Renewed with heavenly might,
From grace more grace receiving
On this blest day of light.
4. That light our hope sustaining,
We walk the pilgrim way,
At length our rest attaining,
Our endless Sabbath day.
We sing to You our praises,
O Father, Spirit, Son;
The church its voice upraises
To You, blest Three in One.
WORDS: Stanzas 1-2, Christopher Wordsworth, 1862;
MUSIC: alt. Stanza 3, Charles P. Price, 1980 Stanza 4, The Hymnal 1982Memmingen ms., 17th century Harm. George Ratcliffe Woodward, 1904
Scripture: Psalm 118:24
Theme: Morning and Opening Hymns