Thou Light of Gentile nations,
Thou Savior from above,
Drawn by Thy Spirit’s leading,
we come with joy and love
Into Thy holy temple and wait
with earnest mind
As Simeon once had waited His
God and Lord to find.
Yea,
Lord, Thy servants meet Thee
in every holy place
Where Thy true Word has
promised that we should see
Thy face.
Today Thou still dost grant us
who gather around Thee here
In arms of faith to bear Thee
as did that agèd seer.
Be Thou our Joy and
Brightness, our Cheer in pain
and loss,
Our Sun in darkest terror, the
Glory round our cross,
A Star for sinking spirits, a
Beacon in distress,
Physician, Friend in sickness,
in death our Happiness.
Let us, O Lord, be faithful
like Simeon to the end,
So that his prayer exultant
may from our hearts ascend:
“O Lord, now let Thy servant
depart in peace, I pray,
Since I have seen my Savior
and here beheld His day.”
My Savior, I behold Thee
with faith’s enlightened eye;
Of Thee no foe can rob me, his
threats I can defy.
Within Thy heart abiding, as
Thou, O Lord, in me,
Death can no longer frighten
nor part my soul from Thee.
Lord, here on earth Thou
seemest at times to frown on
me,
And through my tears I often
can scarce distinguish Thee;
But in the heavenly mansions
shall nothing dim my sight;
There shall I see Thy glory in
never-changing light.
