Hymn
The Shadows of the Evening Hours
The shadows of the evening hours
Fall from the darkening sky;
Upon the fragrance of the flowers
The dews of evening lie:
Before Thy throne, O Lord of heaven,
We kneel at close of day;
Look on Thy children from on high,
And hear us while we pray.
The sorrows of Thy servants, Lord,
O do not Thou despise,
But let the incense of our prayers
Before Thy mercy rise:
The brightness of the coming night
Upon the darkness rolls;
With hopes of future glory chase
The shadows on our souls.
Slowly the rays of daylight fade:
So fade within our heart
The hopes in earthly love and joy,
That one by one depart:
Slowly the bright stars, one by one,
Within the heavens shine;
Give us, O Lord, fresh hopes in heaven,
And trust in things divine.
Let peace, O Lord, Thy peace, O God.
Upon our souls descend;
From midnight fears and perils Thou
Our trembling hearts defend;
Give us a respite from our toil,
Calm and subdue our woes;
Through the long day we labour, Lord,
O give us now repose.
The Shadows of the Evening Hours — Text from Methodist Hymn and Tune Book, 1917. Public domain. https://yeshuanow.com/hymns/the-shadows-of-the-evening-hours
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Questions about this hymn
Who wrote The Shadows of the Evening Hours?
The words of The Shadows of the Evening Hours were written by Adelaide Anne Procter; the version here was published in 1917.
Is The Shadows of the Evening Hours 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 Shadows of the Evening Hours?
The Shadows of the Evening Hours is in Common Metre Double (8.6.8.6 D). Hymns in the same metre can usually be sung to the same tunes — for example, The Son of God goes forth to war, I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say and I've Found the Pearl of Greatest Price!