O Light, Whose beams illumine all

June 25

O Light, Whose beams illumine all
From twilight dawn to perfect day,
Shine Thou before the shadows fall
That lead our wandering feet astray;
At morn and eve Thy radiance pour,
That youth may love and age adore.

O Way, through Whom our souls draw near
To yon eternal home of peace,
Where perfect love shall cast out fear,
And earth’s vain toil and wandering cease;
In strength or weakness may we see
Our heavenward path, O Lord, through Thee.

O Truth, before Whose shrine we bow
Thou priceless pearl for all who seek
To Thee our earliest strength we vow,
Thy love will bless the pure and meek;
When dreams or mists beguile our sight,
Turn Thou our darkness into light.

O Life, the well that ever flows,
To slake the thirst of those who faint,
Thy power to bless what seraph knows?
Thy joy supreme what words can paint?
In earth’s last hour of fleeting breath
Be Thou our conqueror over death.

O Light, O Way, O Truth, O Life,
O Jesus, born mankind to save,
Give Thou Thy peace in deadliest strife,
Shed Thou Thy calm on stormiest wave;
Be Thou our hope, our joy, our Head,
Lord of the living and the dead.
     Edward Hayes Plumptre