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Y soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: 6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. 7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. (Psalm 63:5-8)
A picturesque hymn revealing the beauty of God’s presence in the times of darkness as well as light of day – the darkness of sorrow and loss common to the whole spectrum of mankind. The hymn is the composition of Adelaide A. Proctor to the tune of St. Leonard by Hikes.
The Shadows of the Evening Hours
The shadows of the evening hours
Fall from the darkening sky,
Upon the fragrance of the flowers
The dews of evening lie.
Before Thy throne, O Lord of heaven,
We kneel at close of day;
Look on Thy children from on high,
And hear us while we pray.
The sorrows of Thy servants, Lord,
O do not Thou despise,
But let the incense of our prayers
Before Thy mercy rise;
The brightness of the coming night
Upon the darkness rolls;
With hopes of future glory chase
The shadows on our souls.
Let peace, O Lord! Thy peace, O God,
Upon our souls descend;
From midnight fears, and perils, Thou
Our trembling hearts defend:
Give us a respite from our toil,
Calm and subdue our woes;
Through the long day we labor, Lord,
O give us now repose.
1 The shadows of the evening hours Fall from the darkening sky, Upon the fragrance of the flowersThe dews of evening lie. Before Thy throne, O Lord of heaven, We kneel at close of day; Look on Thy children from on high, And hear us while we pray. Night brings darkness and a silent peace, but it also affords cover for the sinful deeds of men. Though wicked men love darkness, so do the flowers of the garden the refreshing dews that rise to water the earth. These dews are much like the Holy Ghost – the work unseen as they condense on the leaves and pedals of the green life God has created for our good. The night is a time that should be met with prayer since the noise and commotion of the day is slowed to a near standstill. God is always near in His felt presence during the night watches. Night is also a promise of the coming dayspring at dawn.
2 The sorrows of Thy servants, Lord, O do not Thou despise, But let the incense of our prayers Before Thy mercy rise;The brightness of the coming night Upon the darkness rolls; With hopes of future glory chase shadows on our souls. When the smothering darkness fills our bed chambers, it seems that God has forgotten us, but this is the moment when He is closest if we will but open our hearts and spirits in prayer. He will commune with us during the night watches. Job proclaims: 9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. 10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; 11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? (Job 35:9-11). Have we forgotten those songs in the night? I don’t God would give the frilly and sensuous songs of the modern church, but I know for certain that He does gives the pure songs of Psalms and spiritual hymns.
3 Let peace, O Lord! Thy peace, O God, Upon our souls descend; From midnight fears, and perils, Thou Our trembling hearts defend: Give us a respite from our toil, Calm and subdue our woes; Through the long day we labor, Lord, O give us now repose. God has always provided a Light for His people in the darkest wildernesses of life. It was a Pillar of Fire by night to Israel on occasion of the Red Sea crossing . He gave a regal Star to proclaim the birth of His only Begotten Son. He gives us the Evening Star to be transformed to the Morning Star at daybreak – and it is at daybreak that the Sun of Righteousness shall arise. The hope provided by the moon and stars of night lead on to the brilliance of the DayStar.
There is a great quote from a poem written by Minnie Louise Haskins that sums the matter well. It was read by King George VI on Christmas Day in 1939 at the beginning of that terrible conflict called World War II: And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: ‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’ And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’
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O I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night. And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.
