First Line: The dawn of God's dear Sabbath,

The dawn of God's dear Sabbath
Breaks o'er the earth again.
As some sweet summer morning
After a night of pain :
It comes as cooling showers
To some exhausted land,
As shade of clustered palm trees
'Mid weary wastes of sand.

2 O day, when earthly sorrow
Is merged in heavenly joy,
And trial changed to blessing
That foes may not destroy ;
When want is turned to fulness,
And weariness to rest ;
And pain to wondrous rapture,
Upon the Saviour's breast.

3 Lord, we would bring for offering,
Though marred with earthly soil,
A week of earnest labour,
Of steady, faithful toil ;
Fair fruits of self-denial,
Of strong, deep love to Thee,
Fostered by Thine own Spirit
In our humility.

4 And we would bring our burden
Of sinful thought and deed,
In Thy pure presence kneeling,
From bondage to be freed ;
Our hearts' most bitter sorrow
For all Thy work undone,------
So many talents wasted,
So few bright laurels won !

5 So be it, Lord, for ever :
Oh, may we evermore,
In Jesus' holy presence,
His blessed name adore :
Upon His peaceful Sabbath,
Within His temple walls,
Type of the stainless worship
In Zion's golden halls ;

6 So that in joy and gladness
We reach that home at last ;
When life's short week of sorrow,
And sin, and strife is past ;
When angel-hands have gathered
The fair ripe fruit for Thee,
O Father, Lord, Redeemer,
Most Holy Trinity.