O Zion, rise and brighten

Representative Text

1 O Zion, rise and brighten,
The morn begins to lighten:
Thy Light draws nigh to thee.
The brightness of His rising,
With radiance surprising,
Thine eyes shall now rejoice to see.

2 While earth is still beclouded
And many Gentiles shrouded
In dreary darkness lie,
The Light of joy and gladness
Dispelleth all thy sadness
And glory crowns thee from on high.

3 On ev'ry land and nation
The God of our salvation
Doth make His sun to shine;
And all shall learn the story
Of Christ, the Sun of glory,
That fills thy heart with light divine.

4 Behold the vast commotion,
How, crossing sea and ocean,
The nations come to thee!
Thy fame hath reached their hearing,
And they in hosts are nearing
To see thy light and bow the knee.

5 Rejoice, and cease thy weeping,
Thy heart within thee leaping,
Look out upon the sea,
Where ships, swift in their courses,
Bring myriad Gentile forces,
Who seek the Light that shines on thee.

6 What mighty delegations
From Ephah and far nations!
All Midian draws night!
Fair Shebah gold is bringing,
And all unite in singing
The praises of the Lord on high.

Source: American Lutheran Hymnal #373

Author: Martin Opitz

Opitz, Martin, son of Sebastian Opitz, butcher at Bunzlau in Silesia, was born at Bunzlau, Dec. 23, 1597. He entered the University of Frankfurt a. Oder in 1618, and in 1619 went to Heidelberg, where he acted as a private tutor, and studied literature and philosophy at the University, paying also short visits to Strassburg and Tübingen. When the University was threatened by the Spanish troops (they sacked the town under Tilly in Sept. 1622), Opitz left Heidelberg in Oct. 1620, and with his friend, H. A. Hamilton (a member of a Danish noble family, travelled through Holland, Friesland and Jutland. In the spring of 1621 he returned to Silesia through Lübeck, and at Easter, 1622, became Professor of Philosophy and Poetry in the Gymnasium, fo… Go to person page >

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First Line: O Zion, rise and brighten
Author: Martin Opitz

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American Lutheran Hymnal #373

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