Seek out the dark night

Seek out the dark night, 

Banish any stray light. 

Turn from the day's toil, come and rest.

Freed from the bright day,

Seeking a calm way; 

We rest now so to serve our best.

 

Why are we failing,

Running, hurried, flailing? 

Why this unholy rush in vain? 

Turn from this fluster,

Banish such bluster

And leave aside the striving pain.

 

Seek quiet, make space,

Give yourself to God's grace; 

Carve out a pause from marching time.

Let holy healing, God's hope revealing,

Repair your soul with love sublime.

 

Then, with this soul care

Turn yourself and now share; 

Serve as a vessel of God's peace. 

Practice such hearing, 

Sure and endearing,

That human loneliness might cease.

 

 

TEXT: Charles Spence Freeman, March 2023.

MUSIC: Tune CRUSADERS' HYMN, Silesian folk melody; Schlesische Volkslieder, 1842.

 

 

It might seem a bit much to have a hymn the basic message of which is "get a good night's rest and get back to work refreshed in the morning." Then again, so many people don't seem to be very good at it (raises hand), so maybe the counsel is useful after all. Anyway, make what use you will.