Morning Has Broken
Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (WEB).
Eleanor Farjeon (1881 - 1965) grew up in the literary and dramatic circles of London, the daughter of novelist Benjamin Farjeon. Eleanor began her professional carrier in her teens on the operatic stage. Later, she had great success in writing and eventually published about 80 works in all. She wrote books for children and books adults, but she especially loved writing for children.
Around 1930, editor Percy Dearmer was preparing a hymn collection and asked Eleanor to contribute a hymn for children. In his request, Dearmer had two specific requirements. First, the song had to give thanks for each new day. Second, the text had to be set to a Scottish tune known as "Bunessan", which had first appeared in print in 1900 and had already been paired with Mary MacDonald's Christmas carol, "Child in the Manger". With these requirements, Eleanor created a lilting hymn that linked the creation stories of Genesis 1 and John 1, and reminded the singer that each new day was a gift from God. The text praised God for the sights and sounds of the new day and compared each dawn to the very first day in the Garden of Eden. The hymn first published in 1931, as part of Dearmer's second edition of Songs of Praise.
Morning has broken
like the first morning,
blackbird has spoken
like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for the springing
fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain's new fall
sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall
on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness
where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning
born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
praise every morning,
God's recreation
of the new day!
-
John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (WEB).
Eleanor Farjeon (1881 - 1965) grew up in the literary and dramatic circles of London, the daughter of novelist Benjamin Farjeon. Eleanor began her professional carrier in her teens on the operatic stage. Later, she had great success in writing and eventually published about 80 works in all. She wrote books for children and books adults, but she especially loved writing for children.
Around 1930, editor Percy Dearmer was preparing a hymn collection and asked Eleanor to contribute a hymn for children. In his request, Dearmer had two specific requirements. First, the song had to give thanks for each new day. Second, the text had to be set to a Scottish tune known as "Bunessan", which had first appeared in print in 1900 and had already been paired with Mary MacDonald's Christmas carol, "Child in the Manger". With these requirements, Eleanor created a lilting hymn that linked the creation stories of Genesis 1 and John 1, and reminded the singer that each new day was a gift from God. The text praised God for the sights and sounds of the new day and compared each dawn to the very first day in the Garden of Eden. The hymn first published in 1931, as part of Dearmer's second edition of Songs of Praise.
Morning has broken
like the first morning,
blackbird has spoken
like the first bird.
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
Praise for the springing
fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rain's new fall
sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall
on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness
where his feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning
born of the one light
Eden saw play!
Praise with elation,
praise every morning,
God's recreation
of the new day!
-
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