O Morning Star, how fair and bright

Lord, may our shining be for God’s building! Make us Your overcoming saints today, those who follow Christ faithfully to be the shining stars in the local churches today! 🙏

Revelation 22:16 I Jesus... , I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright morning star.

Revelation 2:28 And to him I will give the morning star.

When we are illuminated and enlightened by giving heed to the shining word of prophecy in the Scripture, the morning star rises in our hearts. Day by day, we need to seek earnestly the Lord's presence and be watchful so we will not miss the Lord's secret coming (parousia), when He will come as a thief. As the bright morning star, our dear Lord will privately appear to the overcomers who are watching, preparing and waiting for Him.

O Lord Jesus, we love You and Your appearing! Keep us watchful and waiting for You moment by moment. We joyfully desire that You secretly give Yourself as the morning star to us, so we may taste the freshness of Your precious presence at Your coming back after a long absence!

The original is also great:

I. How bright appears the Morning-Star,
With Grace and Truth beyond Compare,
The Royal root of JESSE;
O David's Son, of Jacob's Line!
My Soul's Delight, and Spouse Divine,
Thy Love can only bless me.
Precious, Gracious,
Fair and Glorious, e'er victorious,
Thou my Treasure,
Far beyond all earthly Pleasure.
II. My choicest Pearl, and precious Crown,
God and the Virgin Mary's Son,
Thou King of endless Glory!
Thou art compar'd to Sharon's flow'r;
Thy Gospel and its saving Pow'r
Excells what's Transitory.
Lovely Lilly,
O Hosanna, Heav'nly Manna,
Thy sweet Favour
Be mine everlasting Savour.
III. Thy Love, so pow'rful and divine,
Dart deep into this Heart of mine,
Thou brilliant Stone and Jewel!
Confirm me more and more to be
A Branch of Thee, the living Tree,
That Self may lose its Fewel.
Sighing, Dying
Is thy Creature; for in Nature
Is no Pleasure
Without Thee, my King and Treasure.
IV. From God descends a Glance of Joy.
When thou, with thy most gracious Eye,
Beholdst thy loving Creature:
Immanuel! my sov'reign Good,
Thy Word, thy Spirit, Flesh and Blood
Renew my very Nature;
Grant me sweetly
Thine Embraces, that the Graces
Of Salvation
May root out all Depravation.
V. Thou Father, from Eternity,
In Mercy was inclin'd to me,
Through CHRIST, thy well-beloved;
Thy son has chose me for his Bride;
In this my Spouse I can confide;
My Love shall ne'er be moved.
O! this Bliss is
Of his giving, who's the Living
Bread and Manna;
Ever will I sing HOSANNA.
VI. Tune all your Strings of Lute and Harp,
Resolve the Notes of Flat and Sharp
Into Celestial Concords,
That Nothing may disturb my Frame,
Which is wrapt up in JESUS' Name,
The sweetest of all Comforts.
Ringing, Singing,
In your Praises, let the Phrases
Of your Duty
Please the Lord of Bliss and Beauty.
VII. My Joy to all the World be known,
That my Beloved keeps his Throne,
On Hills of Light and Glory.
He'll kindly bring me to that Place,
Where all the Wonders of his Grace
Shall lie disclos'd before me.
Amen! Amen!
Lord my Sov'reign! come and govern
All the Nations;
Come! I wait with great Impatience.

This hymn has such rich utterances. When I first learned this song I didn’t appreciate it much, perhaps because the tune sounded so old-fashioned, but when I declared it with some others I realised the words are so rich.

Lord, fill me with joy, fill me with strength to be Your member! Make me one who is ever joined to You in love, even a love that cannot falter!

Oh, my Lord and my Master, You have won my heart. but I desire, that, Lord, You will continue to win my heart day by day, more and more, with Your beauty and glory, so that I will only serve You with all my heart, my entire being.

When Philipp Nicolai was a pastor in Unna, Germany, an awful plague hit the town. His window overlooked the cemetery. There were sometimes as many as 30 burials in a single day. It seemed that every home in the town was mourning for a stricken family member. It was a difficult time to be a pastor. How did he get through it?

"There seemed to me nothing more sweet, delightful, and agreeable," Nicolai wrote, "than the contemplation of the noble sublime doctrine of Eternal Life obtained through the Blood of Christ. This I allowed to dwell in my heart day and night." - Great Songs of Faith by Brown and Norton