"Light of Those Whose Dreary Dwelling"

Charles Wesley preaching

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the Dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.  (Luke 1: 78-79, KJV)

This past Sunday was the second Sunday of  Advent, and my sermon focused on the Song of Zechariah in the first chapter of Luke, drawing on Malachi 3: 1-4 as an appetizer for the "Brood of Vipers" sermon sure to come next Sunday when John the Baptist really gets going as the warm-up act for Jesus. These two verses mark the culmination of Zechariah's exclamation of joy at seeing the hope of Israel finally being fulfilled with the imminent coming of the Messiah.  We share his yearning and excitement because like Elizabeth and Zechariah and all those who had been waiting for so long, we sometimes feel like things will never get any better.  Like them, we dwell in the land of darkness and in the shadow of death, and like them, without the advent of that Dayspring from on high, we cannot see a way out.

This hymn from Charles Wesley takes much of its inspiration from these verses in Luke 1.  In the first stanza, he longingly calls for the Light to come and dispel the clouds and to give sight to those who cannot see. In the second, he pleads for the Savior to come and shed grace on everyone everywhere, while the third rounds out the hymn with its yearning for salvation from the "pacific Prince,"  trusting that he will come to release every burdened soul while guiding us into God's perfect peace. 

Light of those whose dreary dwelling
     Borders on the shades of death, 
Come, and by Thy love's revealing 
     Dissipate the clouds beneath: 
The new heaven and earth's Creator, 
     In our deepest darkness rise, 
Scattering all the night of nature, 
     Pouring eyesight on our eyes.

Still we wait for Thy appearing, 
     Life and joy Thy beams impart, 
Chasing all our fears, and cheering 
     Every poor benighted heart: 
Come and manifest the favour 
     God hath for our ransom'd race; 
Come, Thou universal Saviour, 
     Come, and bring the gospel grace.

Save us in Thy great compassion,
     O Thou mild pacific Prince, 
Give the knowledge of salvation,
     Give the pardon of our sins; 
By Thine all-restoring merit
     Every burden'd soul release, 
Every weary, wandering spirit
     Guide into Thy perfect peace.

I am reminded of a medieval hymn with which Charles Wesley was almost certainly familiar, by Thomas Aquinas, :

Light of lights!  All gloom dispelling,
Thou didst come to make thy dwelling
Here within our world of sight.
Lord, in pity and in power,
Thou didst in our darkest hour
Rend the clouds and show thy light.

Praise to thee in earth and heaven
Now and evermore be given,
Christ, who art our sun and shield.
Lord, for us thy life thou gavest, 
Those who trust in thee thou savest,
All thy mercy stands revealed.

This is not terribly surprising.  After all, songs written in praise of the divine Light are not uncommon, particularly hymns that reflect upon the Incarnation.  (Just think of "Silent Night" or "O Little Town of Bethlehem," for example.) Aquinas penned a lovely poem/prayer to which Wesley no doubt was indebted, yet his lovely hymn stands on its own. Its last appearance in an American Methodist hymnal apparently is in 1905, according to Discipleship Ministries of the United Methodist Church (https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/light-of-those-whose-dreary-dwelling), but it could easily be revived, especially when sung to the tune "Hyfrydol," the same tune used for the better known "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus."

As you watch and wait and ponder and pray during this Advent season, you might read or even sing the words of Wesley's beautiful hymn.  In doing so, may you feel the darkness around you begin to dissipate as the Light shines into your heart and life, and may your weary, wandering spirit be guided by that same Light into perfect peace.