Te lucis ante terminum

Latin, c. 5th to 9th century
Translated by John Mason Neale, 1818-66.

Before the ending of the day,
Creator of the world, we pray
That with Thy wonted favor, Thou
Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our eyes,
From nightly fears and fantasies;
Tread under foot our ghostly foe,
That no pollution we may know.

O Father, that we ask be done,
Through Jesus Christ, Thine only Son;
Who, with the Holy Ghost and Thee,
Doth live and reign eternally.

In an age of electric light and reasonable safety, we may find this old treasure of catholic hymnody strange. I still remember one of my professors at seminary (!) decrying the antiquate character of Luther's morning prayer, in which we thank God for keeping us "this night from all harm and danger."

I guess that gentleman had learned the secular ways of taking for granted the gracious preservation that the Creator of all things extends to us out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness on our part. For yes, even amid the social unrest that haunts our society, we have come a long way from the ancient times, in which the hours of darkness lay unprotected by police, alarms, etc.

In those days people had no defence from evildoers. And so the church would pray for the One who never slumbers or sleeps to guard her from all evil of body and soul. Compline, the service at the close of the day, would frame this hymn with prayers like the following:

Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us,
and we are called by Thy Name;
leave us not, O Lord our God. (Jeremiah. 14:9.)

Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping;
That awake we may watch with Christ
And asleep we may rest in peace.

I will lay me down in peace, and sleep:
For Thou, LORD, only, makest me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit,
For Thou hast redeemed us, O LORD, Thou God of truth. (Psalm 31:5)

Praise be to God for His faithful protection, and let us not forget all His benefits to us, but with humble hearts evermore raise our songs and prayers to His throne, where the Spirit makes them perfect and the Son makes them acceptable in the sight of the Father.

Let us pray:
Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this habitation,
and drive far from it all snares of the enemy:
let thy holy angels dwell herein, to preserve us in peace;
and let thy blessing be always upon us.
Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee,
in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
ever one God, world without end. Amen.


P.S.: My deep gratitude to Rev. Benjamin Mayes and Rev. Michael Frese, without whose work in putting together "The Brotherhood Prayerbook" I might never discover such treasures of the church.