Awake, My Soul, And With The Sun
Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun
Awake, my soul, and with the sun
Thy daily stage of duty run:
Shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise
To pay thy morning sacrifice.
Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart,
And with the angels bear thy part,
Who all night long unwearied sing
High praise to the eternal King.
All Praise to Thee, who safe has kept,
And hast refreshed me while I slept:
Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake
I may of endless life partake.
Lord, I my vows to Thee renew;
Disperse my sins as morning dew;
Guard my first springs of thought and will,
And with Thyself my spirit fill.
Direct, control, suggest, this day,
All I design, or do, or say,
That all my powers, with all their might,
In Thy sole glory may unite.
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
BISHOP THOMAS KEN wrote this hymn to remind the students of Winchester College of their daily duties. While his students may not always have appreciated these admonitions, they probably echoed the conclusion—the well-known doxology. In fact, Ken ended three different hymns with this concluding stanza. In his private devotions, Ken used all the stanzas of this hymn (he wrote thirteen), accompanying himself on the lute.
The bishop had a checkered career, caused mostly by the fact that he wasn’t intimidated by royalty and condemned immorality when he saw it. He died in poverty, leaving behind only an old lute and an old horse. But he did manage to pass along some memorable hymns and a doxology that is sung in churches around the world. He was buried early in the morning as the sun was beginning to rise. Those present sang all thirteen stanzas of this hymn.
What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.
Psalm 65:1-3
From the book
