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And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

How bright these glorious spirits shine!

Representative Text

1 How bright these glorious spirits shine!
Whence all their white array?
How came they to the blissful seats
of everlasting day?

2 Lo! these are they from sufferings great
who came to realms of light,
and in the blood of Christ have washed
those robes that shine so bright.

3 Now with triumphal palms they stand
before the throne on high,
and serve the God they love amidst
the glories of the sky.

4 Hunger and thirst are felt no more,
nor sun with scorching ray:
God is their sun, whose cheering beams
diffuse eternal day.

5 The Lamb, who dwells amid the throne,
shall o'er them still preside,
feed them with nourishment divine,
and all their footsteps guide.

6 In pastures green he'll lead his flock
where living streams appear;
and God the Lord from every eye
shall wipe off every tear.

Source: Ancient and Modern: hymns and songs for refreshing worship #303a

Author: Isaac Watts

Isaac Watts was the son of a schoolmaster, and was born in Southampton, July 17, 1674. He is said to have shown remarkable precocity in childhood, beginning the study of Latin, in his fourth year, and writing respectable verses at the age of seven. At the age of sixteen, he went to London to study in the Academy of the Rev. Thomas Rowe, an Independent minister. In 1698, he became assistant minister of the Independent Church, Berry St., London. In 1702, he became pastor. In 1712, he accepted an invitation to visit Sir Thomas Abney, at his residence of Abney Park, and at Sir Thomas' pressing request, made it his home for the remainder of his life. It was a residence most favourable for his health, and for the prosecution of his literary… Go to person page >

Alterer: William Cameron

William Cameron was born in 1751. He studied at Marischal College, Aberdeen, and in 1785 was ordained minister of Kirknewton, in Mid Lothian. He died in 1811. He was the author of several works. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A. 1872.… Go to person page >

Tune

ST. ASAPH (Giornovichi)


BEATITUDO

Composed by John B. Dykes (PHH 147), BEATITUDO was published in the revised edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern (1875), where it was set to Isaac Watts' "How Bright Those Glorious Spirits Shine." Originally a word coined by Cicero, BEATITUDO means "the condition of blessedness." Like many of Dykes's…

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BALERMA (Barthélemon)


Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #2568
  • Adobe Acrobat image (PDF)
  • Noteworthy Composer score (NWC)
  • XML score (XML)

Instances

Instances (1 - 21 of 21)
Text

Ancient and Modern #303a

Text

Ancient and Modern #303b

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #316a

Anglican Hymns Old and New (Rev. and Enl.) #316b

Church Hymnal, Fifth Edition #467

TextPage Scan

Church Hymnary (4th ed.) #745

TextPage Scan

Common Praise (1998) #280

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Common Praise #221a

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Common Praise #221b

Text

CPWI Hymnal #828

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #306

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #572a

Hymns for Today's Church (2nd ed.) #572b

TextPage Scan

Hymns of Glory, Songs of Praise #745

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #2568

TextPage Scan

The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #R66a

TextPage Scan

The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #R66b

TextPage Scan

The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #R66c

Page Scan

The Irish Presbyterian Hymnbook #667

TextPage Scan

The New English Hymnal #227

TextPage Scan

Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #544

Include 133 pre-1979 instances
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