As the light upon the river

1 As the light upon the river
at the rising of the sun,
shine, O Lord, upon our city;
here on earth your will be done:
here we meet in glad thanksgiving,
worship, praise and prayer we bring,
grief for sin and joy for mercy
all for you, O Christ our King.

2 Crucified and risen Saviour,
God incarnate, First and Last,
yours the city of the future,
yours the pilgrims of the past:
Lord, revive your weary people!
Let your voice again be heard;
rid your church of all excuses
for our deafness to your word.

3 From our failure and our blindness,
bound by debts we cannot pay,
God of Jubilee, release us
O renew us all, we pray!
In a world exhausted, restless,
still oppressing and oppressed,
Lord of Sabbath, bring us freedom,
resurrection, life, and rest.

4 Strengthen us to love our neighbours
welcome strangers at our door,
find the lost and reach the lonely
so that they shall weep no more:
in our homes, our crowded journeys,
work or leisure, calm or noise,
come to satisfy our longings,
Christ the Joy of all our joys!

5 As the rain upon the garden
as the water from the spring,
pour on us your Holy Spirit,
gifts to use and songs to sing:
as the light upon the river
at the rising of the sun,
shine, O Lord, upon our city
as in heaven, your will be done.

Alternative Tunes: LUX EOI, ABBOTS LEIGH

© Christopher Idle/Jubilate Hymns Ltd
part of the podcast series: 30 Hymns: Christopher Idle with Lance & Sue Pierson