1 Soft fell the mother's lullaby,
The dusky room was cool and dim,
The lace-crowned cot swung to and fro,
In rythmic measure with the hymn:
“From sin and sorrow, God of light,
Preserve my little one tonight,”
“From sin and sorrow, God of light,
Preserve my little one tonight.”
2 Oh love that trembled in that tone,
That sounded thro’ the twilight room;
Oh love that shone in dewy eyes,
Like stars alight amid the gloom,
While ebbed and flowed the accents mild;
“From sin and sorrow keep my child;”
While ebbed and flowed the accents mild;
“From sin and sorrow keep my child.”
3 Oh tender bosom heaving high
With mother love and pure delight;
Oh words of happy melody,
God keep my little one tonight,
While sweet the baby breathing low,
And lace-crowned cot sung to and fro,
While sweet the baby breathing low,
And lace-crowned cot sung to and fro.
4 Gray crept the dawn behind the hill,
The dreary night went shivering by,
And o’er the watchers spent and chill,
The sun looked down with pitying eye;
But no song rose amid the gloom,
That hung athwart that darken’d room,
But no song rose amid the gloom,
That hung athwart that darken’d room.
5 For God had heard the prayer she sang,
That happy mother bending low,
And answered it at break of day,
While yet the cot swung to and fro,
“From sin and sorrow,” in his love,
God called the little one above;
“From sin and sorrow,” in his love,
God called the little one above.