Behold the Sun

Behold the sun

that seemed but now

Enthronèd ov­er­head

Beginneth to de­cline be­low

The globe here­on we tread;

And he

whom yet ye look up­on

With com­fort and de­light

Will quite de­part from hence anon

And leave us to the night.

Thus time

un­heed­ed

steals away

The life which na­ture gave;

Thus are our bo­dies ev­ery day

Declining to the grave;

Thus from us all our plea­sures fly

Whereon we set our heart;

And when the night of death draws nigh

Thus will they all de­part.

Lord! though the sun for­sake our sight

And mor­tal hopes are vain

Let still Thine ev­er­last­ing light

Within our souls re­main;

And in the nights of our dis­tress

Vouchsafe those rays di­vine

Which from the Sun of Right­eous­ness

For ev­er bright­ly shine.