Ye clouds and darkness, hosts of night


Ye clouds and darkness, hosts of night,
that breed confusion and affright,
begone! o'erhead the dawn shines clear,
the light breaks in and Christ is here.

Earth's gloom flees broken and dispersed,
by the sun's piercing shafts coerced:
the Daystar's eyes rain influence bright,
and colors glimmer back to sight.

Thee, Christ, alone we know; to thee
we bend in pure simplicty;
our songs with tears to thee arise;
prove thou our hearts with thy clear eyes.

Though we be stained with blots within,
thy quickening rays shall purge our sin;
Light of the Morning Star, thy grace
shed on us from thy cloudless face.

All laud to God the Father be,
all praise, eternal Son, to thee;
all glory, as is ever meet,
to God the holy Paraclete.


Words: Nox et tenebrae et nubila, Aurelius Clemens Prudentius (348-c.410);
trans. by Robert M Pope (1865-1944), 1906

Music:

Meter: LM

Hymnal, Year Number Tunes Other comments
Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861-1874      
The Anglican Hymn Book, 1868       
The Sarum Hymnal, 1869      
The Church Hymnal, 1871 (Hall & Whiteley)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Goodrich & Gilbert)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, 1874 (Hutchins)      
Church Hymns with Tunes, 1874      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1874      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Standard, 1875-1924      
A Church of England Hymn Book, 1879      
The Universal Hymn Book, 1885      
The Hymnal Companion, 1890      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Darlington)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Parker)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Hutchins)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Tucker & Rousseau)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Helfenstein)      
The Church Hymnal, Revised and Enlarged, 1892 (Messiter)      
The Yattendon Hymnal, 1900
     
Church Hymns, New Edition, 1903      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Edition, 1904      
The English Hymnal, 1906 054; plainsong, Gaude Regina Gloriae  
The Book of Common Praise, 1908      
The Hymnal 1916      
Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, 1917      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1919      
Church Hymnal Revised, 1920
(Hutchins)
     
The Oxford Hymn Book, 1925      
Songs of Praise, 1925 022 Aeterna Christi munera  
Songs of Praise, Enlarged Edition, 1931 037 Aeterna Christi munera, Lucis Creator  
The Book of Common Praise, 1938      
The Hymnal 1940      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, Revised, 1950      
The Mirfield Mission Hymn Book, 1955      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 1960      
Anglican Hymn Book, 1965      
The Hymn Book 1971      
The Australian Hymn Book / With One Voice, 1977      
The Hymnal 1982      
Hymns Ancient & Modern, New Standard, 1983      
The New English Hymnal, 1985      
Hymns for Today's Church, second edition, 1988      
Church Family Worship, 1988      
Hymns Old & New, New Anglican Edition, 1996      
Common Praise (The Anglican Church of Canada), 1998      
Together in Song: The Australian Hymn Book II, 1999      
Sing Glory, 1999      
Complete Mission Praise, 2000      
Common Praise: Hymns Ancient & Modern, 2000      
Hymns Old & New, Complete Anglican Edition, 2000      
Church Hymnal (Church of Ireland), 2000      

Website compiled by Steve Benner, 1999-2006.