I HEARD a song of birds at break of day,
Voices and hearts combined in joyous lay.
With love and self-forgetfulness
The happy songsters did express
Glad praise and thanks to God, their strength and stay.
O weary watcher mid the darkness drear,
Their paean of joy was sung for thee to hear,
And to thy suffering sense reveal
The power of gratitude to heal
And lift thy thought above all stress and fear.
God's tender love doth bless thee; aye, before
Thou speak'st, He showers His spiritual store
Of gifts upon thee, and from heaven
His grace sufficient, freely given,
O'er thee unceasingly He doth outpour.
