Hymn
The Acceptable Year
O're the gloomy hills of darkness,
Cheered by no celestial ray,
Sun of Righteousness, arising,
Bring the bright, the glorious day!
Send the gospel
To the earth's remotest bound.
Kingdoms wide that sit in darkness,
Grant them, Lord, the glorious light;
And, from eastern coast to western
May the morning chase the night;
And redemption,
Freely purchased, win the day.
Fly abroad, thou mighty gospel!
Win and conquer, never cease;
May thy lasting, wide dominion
Multiply and still increase:
Sway Thy sceptre,
Saviour, all the world around.
The Acceptable Year — Text from Methodist Hymn and Tune Book, 1917. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/the-acceptable-year
Chord chart coming soon
Want to play this one? Leave your email and we'll let you know when the chords are ready.
Questions about this hymn
Who wrote The Acceptable Year?
The words of The Acceptable Year were written by William Williams; the version here was published in 1917. The library also holds Guide Me, another hymn by William Williams.
Is The Acceptable Year public domain?
Yes. The words here are taken from Methodist Hymn and Tune Book, published in 1917. Works published before 1931 are out of copyright in the United States, so you can print, project, perform and record this hymn freely. How we source and check every hymn.
What is the metre of The Acceptable Year?
The Acceptable Year is in 8.7.8.7.4.7. Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us, Cast Down, Yet Hoping in God and Finished Redemption.