{"id":271,"date":"2007-08-11T23:33:00","date_gmt":"2007-08-12T03:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/?p=271"},"modified":"2013-06-27T15:41:55","modified_gmt":"2013-06-27T19:41:55","slug":"a-lords-day-poem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/?p=271","title":{"rendered":"A Lord’s Day Poem"},"content":{"rendered":"

I recently returned to this hymn and discovered (thanks to cyberhymnal<\/a>!) that it has more verses than I knew. This is a great poem from 9 centuries ago. It is a wonderful aid in meditation and prompts me to wonder, appreciation and worship, stirring and training my affections. This makes it particularly helpful for Saturday night for me, in preparation for the morning. May it be a blessing to you as well.<\/p>\n

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
\nWith sweetness fills the breast;
\nBut sweeter far Thy face to see,
\nAnd in Thy presence rest.<\/p>\n

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
\nNor can the memory find
\nA sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
\nO Savior of mankind!<\/p>\n

O hope of every contrite heart,
\nO joy of all the meek,
\nTo those who fall, how kind Thou art!
\nHow good to those who seek!<\/p>\n

But what to those who find? Ah, this
\nNor tongue nor pen can show;
\nThe love of Jesus, what it is,
\nNone but His loved ones know.<\/p>\n

Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
\nAs Thou our prize will be;
\nJesus be Thou our glory now,
\nAnd through eternity.<\/p>\n

O Jesus, King most wonderful
\nThou Conqueror renowned,
\nThou sweetness most ineffable
\nIn Whom all joys are found!<\/p>\n

When once Thou visitest the heart,
\nThen truth begins to shine,
\nThen earthly vanities depart,
\nThen kindles love divine.<\/p>\n

O Jesus, light of all below,
\nThou fount of living fire,
\nSurpassing all the joys we know,
\nAnd all we can desire.<\/p>\n

Jesus, may all confess Thy Name,
\nThy wondrous love adore,
\nAnd, seeking Thee, themselves inflame
\nTo seek Thee more and more.<\/p>\n

Thee, Jesus, may our voices bless,
\nThee may we love alone,
\nAnd ever in our lives express
\nThe image of Thine own.<\/p>\n

O Jesus, Thou the beauty art
\nOf angel worlds above;
\nThy Name is music to the heart,
\nInflaming it with love.<\/p>\n

Celestial Sweetness unalloyed,
\nWho eat Thee hunger still;
\nWho drink of Thee still feel a void
\nWhich only Thou canst fill.<\/p>\n

O most sweet Jesus, hear the sighs
\nWhich unto Thee we send;
\nTo Thee our inmost spirit cries;
\nTo Thee our prayers ascend.<\/p>\n

Abide with us, and let Thy light
\nShine, Lord, on every heart;
\nDispel the darkness of our night;
\nAnd joy to all impart.<\/p>\n

Jesus, our love and joy to Thee,
\nThe virgin’s holy Son,
\nAll might and praise and glory be,
\nWhile endless ages run.<\/p>\n

Words: Ber\u00adnard of Clair\u00advaux, 12th Cen\u00adtu\u00adry (Je\u00adsu dul\u00adcis me\u00admor\u00adia); trans\u00adlat\u00aded from La\u00adtin to Eng\u00adlish by Ed\u00adward Cas\u00adwall, Lyra Ca\u00adthol\u00adi\u00adca, 1849.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I recently returned to this hymn and discovered (thanks to cyberhymnal!) that it has more verses than I knew. This is a great poem from 9 centuries ago. It is a wonderful aid in meditation and prompts me to wonder, appreciation and worship, stirring and training my affections. This makes it particularly helpful for Saturday …<\/p>\n

Continue reading ‘A Lord’s Day Poem’ »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[17,16],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=271"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3428,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271\/revisions\/3428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/rayvanneste.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}