Disposer supreme, and Judge of the earth,
who choosest for thine the weak and the poor;
to frail earthen vessels, and things of no worth,
entrusting thy riches which ay shall endure.
Those vessels soon fail, though full of thy light,
and at thy decree are broken and gone;
thence brightly appeareth the arm of thy might,
as through the clouds breaking the lightnings have shone.
Like clouds are they borne to do thy great will,
and swift as the winds about the world go:
the Word with his wisdom their spirits doth fill;
they thunder, they lighten, the waters o’erflow.
Their sound goeth forth, “Christ Jesus is Lord!”
Then Satan doth fear, his citadels fall;
as when the dread trumpets went forth at thy word,
and on the ground lieth the Canaanite’s wall.
O loud be their trump, and stirring their sound,
to rouse us, O Lord, from sin’s deadly sleep.
May lights which thou kindlest in darkness around
the dull soul awaken her vigils to keep!
All honor and praise, dominion and might,
to God, Three in One, eternally be,
who round us hath shed his own marvelous light,
and called us from darkness his glory to see.