Published in John Bowring’s Hymns, 1825, this hymn is based on Isaiah 21:11, 12. It is a dialogue, and can be sung antiphonally-scores 1 and 3 are sung by the traveler, and scores 2 and 4 by the watchman on the wall. The imagery here is that the darkness of night suggests trouble and the ascension of the Daystar, the “Sun of Righteousness” brings the hope that comes with the brightness of the morning.

On Sir John Bowring (1792-1872), see SDAH 237.

ABERYSTWYTH is named after the town on the coast of Wales where the composer was a university professor of music. He wrote it for a Welsh hymn and later matched it with Wesley’s “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” at the end of his cantata Ceridwen. Ever since, the tune has been the favorite in British countries for that hymn.

Joseph Parry was born May 24, 1841, at Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, into a poor family. By the time he was 10, he had to work in the puddling furnaces of the iron foundry. In 1854 the family moved to Danville, Pennsylvania, where he studied music in a class with other ironworkers. After he won a prize for composition, his fellow workers raised a fund to send him to college at Genesco, New York. In 1862 he returned to Wales and won prizes in competition at the Eisteddfodau (music festivals) in several cities. After some organ concerts in the United States to raise money, he attended the Royal Academy of Music, London, and received the D.Mus. at Cambridge in 1878. Back at Danville in America, he taught music for two years, then was recalled to Wales to be professor of music at University College, Aberystwyth. Later he held the same position at University College, Cardiff, Wales. One of Wales’ most distinguished musicians, Parry wrote operas, two oratorios, cantatas, songs, instrumental music, and 400 hymn tunes. This is the only one that is still in wide use. He died February 17, 1903, at Penarth near Cardiff.

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.