Words: Petrus Herbert, 1566 (Die Nacht ist kommen drin wir ruhen); translated from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, The Chor¡ale Book for England, 1863.
Music: "Flemming," Friedrich Ferdinand Flemming, 1811
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Now God be with us, for the night is closing:
The light and darkness are of His disposing,
And 'neath His shadow here to rest we yield us,
For He will shield us.
Let evil thoughts and spirits flee before us;
Till morning cometh, watch, O Master, o'er us;
In soul and body Thou from harm defend us,
Thine angels send us.
Let holy thoughts be ours when sleep o'ertakes us,
Our earliest thoughts be Thine when morning wakes us,
All day serve Thee, in all that we are doing,
Thy praise pursuing.
As Thy belovèd, soothe the sick and weeping,
And bid the prisoner lose his griefs in sleeping;
Widows and orphans, we to Thee commend them,
Do Thou befriend them.
We have no refuge, none on earth to aid us,
Save Thee, O Father, Who Thine own hast made us;
But Thy dear presence will not leave them lonely
Who seek Thee only.
Father, Thy Name be praised, Thy kingdom given,
Thy will be done on earth as 'tis in heaven;
Keep us in life, forgive our sins, deliver
Us now and ever!
Hymns supplied through the gracious generosity of the Cyber Hymnal Website