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Home  »  The Standard Book of Jewish Verse  »  Adon Olam

Joseph Friedlander, comp. The Standard Book of Jewish Verse. 1917.

By Anonymous

Adon Olam

BEFORE Thy heavenly word revealed the wonders of Thy will;

Before the earth and heaven came forth from chaos deep and still;

E’en then thou reignedest Lord supreme as Thou wilt ever reign,

And moved Thy holy spirit o’er the dark unfathomed main.

But when through all the empty space Thy mighty voice was heard,

Then darkness fled and heavenly light came beaming at Thy word;

All Nature then proclaimed Thee King most blessed and adored,

The great Creator, God alone, the Universal Lord!

And when this vast created world returns to endless night,

When heaven and earth shall fade away at Thy dread word of Might,

Still Thou in majesty will rule, Almighty One, alone,

Great God, with mercy infinite, on Thy exalted throne.

Immortal Power! Eternal One! with Thee what can compare?

Thy glory shines in heaven and earth, and fills the ambient air;

All time, all space, by Thee illumed, grows bright and brighter still,

Obedient to Thy high behest, and to Thy heavenly will.

To Thee dominion sole belongs and ’tis to Thee alone,

My Father, Saviour, Living God, I make my sorrows known.

Thy love, celestial and divine, descends upon my heart,

Inspiring courage, hope and joy, and bidding grief depart.

Protected by Thy boundless love, my body sinks to rest;

My Soul within Thy Heavenly arm, reposes calm and blest.

Lord of my life! in darkened night I sleep and have no fear,

And in early dawn I wake and find Thee ever near.