1. Watchman! Tell us of the night,
What its signs of promise are.
Trav’ler! O’er yon mountain’s height
See that glory beaming star!
Watchman, does its beauteous ray
Aught of hope or joy foretell?
Trav’ler! Yes; it brings the day,
Promis’d day of Israel.
2. Watchman! Tell us of the night,
Higher yet that star ascends.
Trav’ler! Blessedness and light,
Peace and truth its course portends.
Watchman, will its beams alone
Gild the spot that gave them birth?
Trav’ler! Ages are its own;
See! It bursts o’er all the earth!
3. Watchman! Tell us of the night,
For the morning seems to dawn.
Trav’ler! Darkness takes its flight,
Doubt and terror are withdrawn!
Watchman! Let your wand’ring cease,
Go now to your quiet home.
Trav’ler! Lo, the Prince of Peace,
Lo, the Son of God has come!
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The text for this hymn was written by John Bowring as an interpretation of these verses:
Isaiah 21
11 …Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
12 The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night: if you will enquire, enquire you: return, come.
It appeared in James White’s second hymn collection, “Hymns for Second Advent Believers” (1852). The music comes from an Italian folk song.
The song is written in the form of a dialog between the Watchman (a faithful minister who understands the prophecies and the truths for this time), and the Traveller (a believer in Christ, who listens for His voice in those special end-time truths).
Tags: Second Advent, Watch
The reply of the Watchman is very pertinent; “the morning cometh and also the night”. Isaiah 21:12. His counsel comes in the form of a suggestion: “if ye will inquire, inquire ye, return come” Isaiah 21:12.
This seem to suggest that the inquirer needs to take action and not be satisfied by the answer of the watchman. It also infers that the inquirer and the watchman are not on the same page or otherwise he would not have said “return come”.
So, although the morning cometh and also the night, it is only by investigation of the watchman’s response can the inquirer be benefited. When the investigation is done it will be seen that the inquirer is going in the wrong direction, thus he must return and come.
See Testimonies Volume 2, p. 190 for an interpretation of the morning and the issues associated with it.
Howard,
Thank you very much for your thought-provoking comments. The reference you mentioned is very important, and I will quote the whole passage here, including the following pages:
– Testimonies, volume 2, p. 190-198: