1 STANDING at the portal
Of the opening year,
Words of comfort meet us,
Hushing every fear;
Spoken through the silence
By our Father's voice,
Tender, strong and faithful,
Making us rejoice.
Onward, then, and fear not,
Children of the day;
For His word shall never,
Never pass away.
2 "I, the Lord, am with thee,
Be thou not afraid;
I will help and strengthen,
Be thou not dismayed.
Yea, I will uphold thee
With My own right hand;
Thou art called and chosen
In My sight to stand."
3 For the year before us,
O what rich supplies!
For the poor and needy
Living streams shall rise;
For the sad and sinful
Shall His grace abound;
For the faint and feeble
Perfect strength be found.
4 He will never fail us,
He will not forsake;
His eternal covenant
He will never break.
Resting on His promise,
What have we to fear?
God is all-sufficient
For the coming year.
Frances R. Havergal, 1873
On, rolling time! thou canst not make The Father cease to love.
1 BREAK, newborn year, on glad eyes break!
Melodious voices move!
On, rolling time! thou canst not make
The Father cease to love.
2 The parted year had winged feet;
The Saviour still doth stay:
The new year comes; but, Spirit sweet,
Thou goest not away.
3 Our hearts in tears may oft run o'er;
But, Lord, Thy smile still beams:
Our sins are swelling evermore,
But pardoning grace still streams.
4 Lord, from this year more service win,
More glory, more delight:
O make its hours less sad with sin,
Its days with Thee more bright.
5 Then we may bless its precious things
If earthly cheer should come,
Or gladsome mount on angel wings
If Thou wouldst take us home.
60 golden then the hours must be;
The year must needs be sweet;
Yes, Lord, with happy melody
Thine opening grace we greet.
German melody in Etlich Cristliche Lyeder, 1524, harmonized by C. L. Safford, 1909
A cross the sky the shades of night This win-ter's eve are fleeting; We seek Thee,
ever-last-ing Light, In sol-emn wor-ship meet-ing; And as the year's last hours go by
We lift to Thee our ear-nest cry, Once more Thy love en treat - ing.
1 ACROSS the sky the shades of night
This winter's eve are fleeting;
We seek Thee, everlasting Light,
In solemn worship meeting;
And as the year's last hours go by
We lift to Thee our earnest cry,
Once more Thy love entreating.
2 Before the cross, subdued we bow,
To Thee our prayers addressing;
Recounting all Thy mercies now,
And all our sins confessing;
Beseeching Thee, this coming year,
To hold us in Thy faith and fear,
And crown us with Thy blessing.
3 In many an hour, when fear and dread,
Like evil spells have bound us,
And clouds were gathering overhead,
Thy providence hath found us;
In many a night when waves ran high,
Thy gracious presence drawing nigh
Hath made all calm around us.
4 And, while we kneel, we lift our eyes
To dear ones gone before us;
Safe housed with Thee in paradise,
Their spirits hovering o'er us;
And beg of Thee, when life is past,
To re-unite us all at last,
And to our lost restore us.
5 Then, O great God, in years to come,
Whatever fate betide us,
Right onward through our journey home
Be Thou at hand to guide us,
Nor leave us till, at close of life,
Safe from all perils, toil and strife,
Heaven shall enfold and hide us.
James Hamilton, 1882, v. 1, line 3 alt.
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