331. Hymn for Epiphany 3 (Series A)

The readings for this service in the Lutheran Service Book three-year lectionary are Isaiah 9:1-4, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 and Matthew 4:12-25. The tune that primed the creative pump, this time, was MORNING HYMN by François H. Barthélémon, 1785. See pretty much any Lutheran hymnal where you find the hymn "Awake, my soul, and with the sun." I've mentioned before how I used stupid mnemonics to memorize the names of some hymn tunes, during a hymnology class back in my salad days; my mnemonic for this one was to sing it to the lyrics "This is morning hymn, this is morning hymn..." I think it'll be a catchy addition to this project.

O Zebulun and Naphtali,
Benighted lands across the sea:
To you first came the happy sight
Of Christ at work, bestowing light!

Despite the shade of death and sin,
In Him a new dawn broke within;
While those infirm of flesh or mind
He never scrupled to unbind.

He preached across that favored land,
"Repent! The kingdom is at hand."
Yet, though He is Himself God's Son,
He was rejected by His own.

Oh, that we, in this darksome hour,
E'en so might see the ages' Flow'r,
And hear His voice, and feel His call
To follow Him, forsaking all!

God grant that when we hear His voice,
We lift our heads, our hearts rejoice;
For He will come but once again
To set us free from every chain.