Christ My Song - 859

Age of the ages - The winter is past
(Horatius Bonar/Johannes Thomas Rüegg)

The winter is past.

1. Age of the ages,
  whence comest thou?
Laurel and olive
  shading thy brow. (PDF - Midi)

2. Age of the peaceful,
  joy in thy train;
age of the holy,
  welcome again!

3. Age of the iron,
  vanish your years;
age of the golden
  now reappears.

4. Love in its gladness
  shines from above;
peace in its pureness
  comes with the love.

5. Light of the holy
  covers the earth;
life of the blessed
  springs into birth.

6. Sword of the spoiler,
  sheathe thee at last;
hosts are disbanding,
  havoc is past.

7. Flag of the mighty,
  lower thy star;
idle thy flaunting,
  silent the war.

8. Tower of the watchman,
  needed no more,
level thy bulwarks,
  agèd and hoar.

9. Bar, gate and rampart,
  sink in the dust;
helmet and buckler,
  moulder and rust.

10. Shout of the victor
  o'er the oppressed;
wail of the vanquished,
  be now at rest!

11. Sigh of the captive,
  sink into peace;
song of the warrior,
  now thou shalt cease.

12. Roar of the breaker,
  melt into calm;
gale of the desert,
  breathe into balm.

13. Wail of the shipwreck,
  rise thou no more;
silent the tempest,
  tranquil the shore.

14. Palm of the moonlight,
  wave thou above;
tell of the triumph,
  speak of the love.

15. Roses of Sharon,
  muster your flowers;
snow of the myrtle,
  whiten our bowers.

16. Bloom of the almond,
  gladden our spring;
scent of the citron,
  sweet odour fling.

17. Dew of the morning,
  scatter your gold;
dew of the evening,
  splendour unfold.

18. Song of the song-bird,
  send out your strain;
voice of the turtle,
  steal o'er the plain.

19. Summer-bright beauty
  maketh earth fair;
summer-sweet fragrance
  filleth the air.

20. Summer-green verdure
  smiles o'er the plain;
summer-glad radiance
  shines o'er the main.

21. Past is earth's winter,
  bright is its May;
rise up, my fair one,
  haste, come away:

22. Daughter of Zion,
  sorrow no more;
light is arising,
  darkness is o'er.

23. Shame is forgotten,
  exile is past;
beauty for ashes
  cometh at last.

24. Lebanon's glory
  riseth to view;
Carmel and Sharon
  flourish anew.

Horatius Bonar, The Song of the New Creation, 1872, 124-128.

           PDF - Midi