Christ whose glory (5)
"Dayspring from on high, be near;
Daystar, in my heart appear."
Dayspring and Daystar are not simply synonyms. Dayspring derives from the
Song of Zechariah, or Benedictus, Luke 1:78-79,
Per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri:
In quibus visitavit nos, Oriens ex alto,
Illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent . . .
'Through the bowels of compassion of our God,
Through which the Dayspring from on high has visted us,
To illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death . . .'
The invocation, 'be near' may even suggest that Wesley knew the antiphon "O
Oriens":
O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae: veni, et illumina
sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.
'O Day-spring, Brightness of Light Everlasting, and Sun of Righteousness:
Come and enlighten him that sitteth in darkness and the shadow of death.'
Daystar, on the other hand, derives from the Second Letter of St Peter, 1:19,
Et habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem: cui benefacitis attendentes
quasi lucernae lucenti in caliginoso donec dies elucescat, et lucifer
oriatur in cordibus vestris.
'We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereto ye do well that ye take
heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts.'
The dawn of the perfectly natural day, which the hymn celebrates, is thus
seen as foreshadowing the great Day of the Lord's appearing, as we shall see
again in the last line of the hymn.
The Supple Doctor.
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