There’s a light upon the mountains, and the day is at the spring, When our eyes shall see the beauty and the glory of the King; Weary was our heart with waiting, and the night-watch seemed so long, But His triumph-day is breaking, and we hail it with a song.
D-A7
There's a
D
light up
A
on the
D
mountains,
A7
and the
D
day is
A
at the
D
spring,
B7
When our
Em
eyes shall
B7
see the
Em
beauty
A7
and the
D
glory
E7
of the
A7
King;
Weary
D
was our
A
heart with
B
waiting, and
the
B7
night-watch seemed so
Em
long,
A7
But His
D
triumph-
B
day
Em
is breaking, and
D
we hail
D-A7
it with
D
a
D-G-D
song.
2
In the fading of the starlight we can see the coming morn; And the lights of men are paling in the splendors of the dawn; For the eastern skies are glowing as with lights of hidden fire, And the hearts of men are stirring with the throb of deep desire.
In the fading of the starlight we can
see the coming morn;
And the lights of men are paling in
the splendors of the dawn;
For the eastern skies are glowing as
with lights of hidden fire,
And the hearts of men are stirring
with the throb of deep desire.
D-A7
In the
D
fading
A
of the
D
starlight we can
A7
see the
D
coming
A
morn;
B7
And the
Em
lights of
B7
men are
Em
paling in
A7
the
D
splendors of
E7
the dawn;
For the
D
eastern
A
skies are
B
glowing as
with
B7
lights of hidden
Em
fire,
A7
And the
D
hearts of
B
men
Em
are stirring
D
with the
D-A7
throb of
D
deep
D-G-D
desire.
3
There’s a hush of expectation, and a quiet in the air; And the breath of God is moving in the fervent breath of prayer; For the suffering, dying Jesus is the Christ upon the throne, And the travail of our spirit is the travail of His own.
There's a hush of expectation, and
a quiet in the air;
And the breath of God is moving in
the fervent breath of prayer;
For the suffering, dying Jesus is the
Christ upon the throne,
And the travail of our spirit is the
travail of His own.
D-A7
There's a
D
hush of
A D
expectation, and
A7
a
D
quiet in
A
the air;
B7
And the
Em
breath of
B7
God is
Em
moving in
A7
the
D
fervent breath
E7
of
A7
prayer;
For the
D A
suffering, dying
B
Jesus is the
Christ
B7
upon the throne,
A7
And the
D
travail
B
of
Em
our spirit is the
D
travail
D-A7
of His
D
own.
4
He is breaking down the barriers, He is casting up the way; He is calling for His angels to build up the gates of day; But His angels here are human, not the shining hosts above, For the drum-beats of His army are the heart-beats of our love.
He is breaking down the barriers,
He is casting up the way;
He is calling for His angels to build
up the gates of day;
But His angels here are human, not
the shining hosts above,
For the drum-beats of His army are
the heart-beats of our love.
D-A7
He is
D
breaking
A
down the
D
barriers,
A7
He is
D
casting
A
up the
D
way;
B7
He is
Em
calling
B7
for His
Em
angels to build
A7
up the
D
gates of
E7
day;
But His
D
angels
A
here are
B
human, not
the
B7
shining hosts
Em
above,
A7
For the
D
drum-beats
B
of
Em
His army are
D
the
D-A7
heart-beats of
D
our
D-G-D
love.
5
Hark! we hear a distant music, and it comes with fuller swell; ’Tis the triumph song of Jesus, of our King Emmanuel; Zion, go ye forth to meet Him, and my soul, be swift to bring All thy sweetest and thy dearest for the triumph of our King.
We had an incredible minister when I was a child and youth, and one of the first things he did when he arrived was to teach us how to sing this hymn properly. It was his favorite and became the favorite of the whole congregation. I tear up every time I hear, which is only on youtube now. So unfortunate that they removed it from the Methodist hymnal. A lovely melody and stirring lyrics.
This hymn is in my hymnal, but I've never read or sung it. It brought me to tears this morning. "And the breath of God is moving in the fervent breath of prayer." Thank you, Wendy, for sharing. May God continue to comfort you, dear sister.
I requested a recording of two of the verses to be played at the end of the memorial service for my 97 year old father 7 weeks ago as the congregation left the sanctuary.
I was googling the lyrics now and found this site with two comments at the top from South Africans which made me feel at home.
I think only Methodists, I may be wrong, at the church would have recognised the hymn. It is indeed a very special hymn. I loved it attending weekly services as a teenager and a young adult.
This beautiful hymn (my favourite since I was a teenager) is unknown to the young folk of today.
One morning, very early, I was travelling west from OR Tambo Airport (Johannesburg). The lights of the skyscrapers in Johannesburg were visible ahead of me in the distance. In my rearview mirror I could see the sun rising in its splendour, and the second verse of the amazing hymn was a reality. I prayed that the last line of that verse was also a reality in the hearts of all who witnessed that sunrise.
Reminded me of my days as a schoolboy at a Methodist School. Such beautiful poetry and wonderfully matchef with the inspiring melody. Stumbled upon this majestic work when writing a new song and two lines came to mind. Reaching for my old hymnal traced them in verse 3. (first two lines) Now of two minds: to leave as is and run the risk of plagiarism yet tip the hat to the greats of the past or to change and possibly demean. Any suggestions out there?
Born in England, Henry Burton moved as a child with his family to the U.S. where he was educated at Beloit College. In 1865 he returned to England and joined the Wesleyan Methodists. He traveled as a minister with the leading circuit preachers of the time. - Songs of the Spirit by Martin
This hymn is also sung to the tune "Autumn" by Francois H. Barthelemon, which tune is also often used for "Jesus, I my cross have taken". I prefer that tune because it is simpler for me to sing.
What an incredible hymn, busy studying it in unit 15 of Faith and Worship, Methodist Local Preacher. It is about understanding the present and future aspects of the kingdom of God.
My dad was a Methodist minister. This was one of his favourite hymns which all the ministers sang at his funeral. Will never forget the sound of their voices.
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Allegan, MI, United States
We had an incredible minister when I was a child and youth, and one of the first things he did when he arrived was to teach us how to sing this hymn properly. It was his favorite and became the favorite of the whole congregation. I tear up every time I hear, which is only on youtube now. So unfortunate that they removed it from the Methodist hymnal. A lovely melody and stirring lyrics.
Clinton, Massachusetts, United States
This hymn is in my hymnal, but I've never read or sung it. It brought me to tears this morning. "And the breath of God is moving in the fervent breath of prayer." Thank you, Wendy, for sharing. May God continue to comfort you, dear sister.
Eastern Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
I requested a recording of two of the verses to be played at the end of the memorial service for my 97 year old father 7 weeks ago as the congregation left the sanctuary.
I was googling the lyrics now and found this site with two comments at the top from South Africans which made me feel at home.
I think only Methodists, I may be wrong, at the church would have recognised the hymn. It is indeed a very special hymn. I loved it attending weekly services as a teenager and a young adult.
Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa
This beautiful hymn (my favourite since I was a teenager) is unknown to the young folk of today.
One morning, very early, I was travelling west from OR Tambo Airport (Johannesburg). The lights of the skyscrapers in Johannesburg were visible ahead of me in the distance. In my rearview mirror I could see the sun rising in its splendour, and the second verse of the amazing hymn was a reality. I prayed that the last line of that verse was also a reality in the hearts of all who witnessed that sunrise.
Centurion, Gauteng, South Africa
Reminded me of my days as a schoolboy at a Methodist School. Such beautiful poetry and wonderfully matchef with the inspiring melody. Stumbled upon this majestic work when writing a new song and two lines came to mind. Reaching for my old hymnal traced them in verse 3. (first two lines) Now of two minds: to leave as is and run the risk of plagiarism yet tip the hat to the greats of the past or to change and possibly demean. Any suggestions out there?
Durants, Christ Church, Barbados
Let us keep that light burning.........until He comes.
Detroit, MI
Born in England, Henry Burton moved as a child with his family to the U.S. where he was educated at Beloit College. In 1865 he returned to England and joined the Wesleyan Methodists. He traveled as a minister with the leading circuit preachers of the time. - Songs of the Spirit by Martin
This hymn is also sung to the tune "Autumn" by Francois H. Barthelemon, which tune is also often used for "Jesus, I my cross have taken". I prefer that tune because it is simpler for me to sing.
Dunstable, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
What an incredible hymn, busy studying it in unit 15 of Faith and Worship, Methodist Local Preacher. It is about understanding the present and future aspects of the kingdom of God.
Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, United Kingdom
This is the hymn I have picked for my funeral - but the tune will be the tune of Ode to Joy.
Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa
My dad was a Methodist minister. This was one of his favourite hymns which all the ministers sang at his funeral. Will never forget the sound of their voices.