O Lovely Voices of the sky,
Which hymned the Saviour’s birth,
Are ye not singing still on high,
Ye that sang, “Peace on earth”?
To us yet speak the strains,
Wherewith, in time gone by,
Ye blessed the Syrian swains,—
O Voices of the sky!
O clear and shining Light, whose beams,
That hour, heaven’s glory shed
Around the palms, and o’er the streams,
And on the shepherds’ head!
Be near, through life and death,
As in that holiest night
Of hope, and joy, and faith;
O clear and shining Light!
O Star which led to Him whose love
Brought down man’s ransom free!
Where art thou?—’midst the host above
May we still gaze on thee?
In heaven thou art not set,
Thy rays earth may not dim;
Send them to guide us yet,
O Star which led to Him!
Source: A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #107
Hemans, Felicia Dorothea, née Browne, was born in Liverpool, Sep. 25, 1793. In 1800, her father having suffered severe losses in business, removed with his family near to Abergele, N. Wales, where he died sometime after. In 1812 she was married to Captain Hemans, who, on retiring from the army sometime after, removed to Bronnylfa, near St. Asaph. Some years after he left his wife and children and proceeded to Italy, where he died. In 1828 Mrs. Hemans removed to Wavertree, near Liverpool, and in 1831 to Dublin, where she died May 16, 1835, and was buried in St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street, in that city. From 1808, when at 15 she published Poems, to 1834, when her Scenes & Hymns of Life appeared, she produced a great number of poems and othe… Go to person page >
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