Poetry

 

Send Out Your Light and Truth, O God
                  H. Stephen Shoemaker

A hymn is based on Matthew 5:14-16 and Psalm 43:3-5. Written to be sung to the tune of “We’ll Dress the House” by Alfred Burt.

Send out your light and truth O God, and by your Spirit’s skill,
Bring us into your dwelling place, unto your holy hill.
Then we will come and bow to you
with great exceeding joy in you;
And at the altar of your grace lift melodies of praise.

You are the one true light, O God, illum’ning every one;
You are the light of truth to all, emancipation won.
Then why our faces all cast down,
with anxious hearts and worried frown?
Send your kind light our hearts to cheer and banish darkened fear.

“I am the Light of all,” he said, the Light of all the world.
“You are the light,” the Savior said, the light to all the world.
Then set your light upon my hill so all the earth may see my will.
Your hearts with holy love aflame and gleaming with my Name.

O Holy God, O Christ, O Dove, the Trinity of love.
O Lover, Loved and Love itself indwelling and above.
Let us abide in you this day and you abide in us, we pray;
Til praise be all we do and say, and all the world be one.