AHymn Devotion for 23 March 2021 Anno Domini (In the Year of our Lord), the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
“Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.” (Psalm 38:21)
(All scripture quoted is from the King James Version)
“Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.” (Psalms 71:9)
“. . . . he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5b)
Here is the last of the trilogy of daily hymns by Bishop Thomas Ken in 1797 written for the young men of Winchester College where he served as Chaplain. For greater detail on Thomas Ken, check my last two hymn devotions on his other two daily hymns – Morning Hymn and Evening Hymn. Ken wrote the hymn to be sung to Old Hundredth (the familiar tune of the Doxology which he wrote and which concludes both the Evening Hymn and this, the Midnight Hymn.) The tune for these three hymns in most hymnals is TALLIS; however, I like to honor the taste of those who do the original work when possible.
There are days and nights when sleep evades the weary believer. If one finds himself at the midnight hour struggling to sleep, perhaps the words of this hymn will suffice to close his eyes in the peaceful slumber of our Lord’s peace, especially if the entire version of 1797 is sung (thirteen verses). I have abbreviated the hymn to the below seven verses for the sake of avoiding writing a tome of the hymn.
MIDNIGHT HYMN
Lord, now my Sleep does me forsake,
The sole possession of me take,
Let no vain fancy me illude,
No one impure desire intrude.
Blest Angels ! while we silent lie,
You Hallelujahs sing on high,
You, ever wakeful near the Throne,
Prostrate, adore the Three in One.
I now awake do with you joyn,
To praise our God in Hymns Divine :
With you in Heav’n I hope to dwell,
And bid the Night and World farewell.
My Soul when I shake off this dust,
Lord, in Thy Arms I will entrust ;
O make me Thy peculiar care,
Some heav’nly Mansion me prepare.
O may I always ready stand,
With my Lamp burning in my hand,
May I in sight of Heav’n rejoyce,
When e’r I hear the Bridegroom’s voice.
Blest Jesu, Thou on Heav’n intent,
Whole Nights hast in Devotion spent,
But I, frail Creature, soon am tir’d,
And all my Zeal is soon expir’d.
Praise God, from whom all Blessings flow,
Praise Him all Creatures here below,
Praise Him above y’ Angelick Host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Lord, now my Sleep does me forsake, The sole possession of me take, Let no vain fancy me illude,
No one impure desire intrude. As we live and act daily in our Lord Jesus Christ, we should, as well, sleep in the security of His watchful oversight. A little prayer my brother and sisters used to say at bedtime, and one oft repeated by children everywhere, goes – “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” To the Christian, as ound sleep is not so much different from his death for that too is merely a sleep to await the glorious resurrection day.
Blest Angels ! while we silent lie, You Hallelujahs sing on high, You, ever wakeful near the Throne,
Prostrate, adore the Three in One. If the angels of the children behold the Father’s face continually, do they not do the same for those old and weary children of God in advanced years? “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:10 The Christian believer has a threefold protection of the Triune God at the time of sleep – and actually, at all other times. The Presence of the Holy Ghost assures the presence of the other two Persons of the Godhead for they are One in purpose and Mind.
I now awake do with you join, To praise our God in Hymns Divine : With you in Heav’n I hope to dwell, And bid the Night and World farewell. Our closest communion must be during the keen hours of our awakeness. If our last thoughts ere retiring is of our Father, then our first thoughts at the awakening hour will be fixed on Him at first light. There is no greater resource of comfort than in the singing of glorious hymns. The angels of the Lord do stand guard over the souls of His saints during the time of sleep. That is the hour we are defenseless and need our Lord’s protection most keenly.
My Soul when I shake off this dust, Lord, in Thy Arms I will entrust ; O make me Thy peculiar care, Some heav’nly Mansion me prepare. The Lord has already prepared that Heavenly Mansion and our possession awaits the moment when we close our eyes in the sleep of death. There are no stronger arms or greater provender for our souls than in the arms of the Lord. He bears us up as a loving shepherd bears his beloved lambs. Each true believer in Christ is recipient of the ‘peculiar care’ of the Lord. He does not take a general interest in His chosen ones, but rather a particular and peculiar interest therein.
O may I always ready stand, With my Lamp burning in my hand, May I in sight of Heav’n rejoyce,
When e’r I hear the Bridegroom’s voice. A soldier in the army is not engaged to work hourly shifts but must be available for duty twenty-four hours each day. He sleeps with his boots by his cot, and his weapons at arms’ length. The burning fares of the battlefield will provide light for battle. The bugler will sound the notes of engagement. The same is true of the soldier of God. We travel lightly as a pilgrim. We gain sleep as it is possible, and are prepared for the Lord’s call at all hours. One day will be sounded the Trumpet of the Lord at which time we will stand our last Muster Call. We shall answer the Roll on far better footing than before our names were ever called.
Blest Jesu, Thou on Heav’n intent, Whole Nights hast in Devotion spent, But I, frail Creature, soon am tir’d, And all my Zeal is soon expir’d. The disciples could not keep watch with our Lord in the Garden at Gethsemane owing to the frailty of man; but our Lord ceased not to pray during that horrific hour. “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” But He is the God of Battles and the Captain of souls. His earnest watch is kept during our hours of sleep and weary travel.
For the details of the Doxology below with which this hymn ends, see last weeks hymn devotion.
Praise God, from whom all Blessings flow,
Praise Him all Creatures here below,
Praise Him above y’ Angelick Host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
host
