As a bird at dawning singeth

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As a bird at dawning singeth

Author: Anonymous (1580); Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1863)
Tune: GENEVAN 42
Published in 5 hymnals

Piano/Organ
	Seasonal Psalms for Organ, Vol. 1

Choral
	In You, O Lord, I Will Place My Trust

Instrumental
	In dulci jubilo - Three Advent/Christma…

Representative Text

As a bird at dawning singeth
In the woods or meadows fair,
Till the lonely forest ringeth,
And it fills the summer air,
So my heart to Thee would raise,
O my God, its song of praise,
That the gloom of night is waning,
And the Sun once more is reigning.

Sun of Love, when Thou dost greet me
All my heart with joy is stirr'd;
And it upward flies to meet Thee,
Gladsome as yon little bird.
Shine Thou in me clear and bright,
Till I learn to praise Thee right;
On the narrow way now speed me,
Let not darkness e'er mislead me.

Bless to-day what I am doing,
Bless whate'er I have and love;
With the morn my powers renewing,
Let me ne'er from virtue rove;
By Thy Spirit strengthen me
In the faith that leads to Thee,
So through life to journey fearless,
Heir of heaven, to glories peerless.

Source: Chorale Book for England, The #161

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Author: Anonymous

In some hymnals, the editors noted that a hymn's author is unknown to them, and so this artificial "person" entry is used to reflect that fact. Obviously, the hymns attributed to "Author Unknown" "Unknown" or "Anonymous" could have been written by many people over a span of many centuries. Go to person page >

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	As a bird at dawning singeth
German Title:	Wie ein Vogel lieblich singet
Author:	Anonymous (1580)
Translator:	Catherine Winkworth (1863)
Language:	English

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Tune

GENEVAN 42

Louis Bourgeois (PHH 3) composed or adapted this tune for Psalm 42 for the Genevan psalter. The 1564 harmonization by Claude Goudimel (PHH 6) originally placed the melody in the tenor. An alternate harmonization with descants by Johann Crüger (PHH 42) can be found opposite 41 in the Psalter Hymnal.…

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