The Cyber Hymnal ‎#616

616. Break, Day of God, Oh Break

1. Break, day of God, Oh break,
Sweet light of heavenly skies!
I all for Thee forsake,
And from my dead self rise;
O Lamb of God, whose love is light,
Shine on my soul, and all is bright.

2. Break, day of God, Oh break!
The night has lingered long;
Our hearts with sighing wake,
We weep for sin and wrong:
O bright and morning star, draw near;
O Sun of Righteousness, appear.

3. Break, day of God, Oh break!
The earth with strife is worn;
The hills with thunder shake,
Hearts of the people mourn;
Break, day of God, sweet day of peace,
And bid the shout of warriors cease!

4. Break, day of God, Oh break,
Like to the days above!
Let purity awake,
And faith, and hope, and love:
But lo! we see the brightening sky;
The golden morn is drawing nigh.

Text Information

• First Line: Break, day of God, Oh break
• Title: Break, Day of God, Oh Break
• Author: Henry Burton (1900)
• Meter: 66.66.88
• Language: English
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: Alternate tune: DARWALL'S 148TH, John Darwall, 1770. Burton wrote these words at Sands, near Liverpool, England, on Christmas Eve: The opening stanza was composed on the Railway Bridge where I lingered on my way home.

Tune Information

• Name: BERTHA
• Composer: W. Heslop (before 1890)
• Meter: 66.66.88
• Incipit: 12343 33236 43212
• Key: G Major
• Source: The Primitive Methodist Hymnal Supplement with Tunes, edited by George Booth (London: Primitive Methodist Publishing House, 1912), number 59
• Copyright: Public Domain