This is the oldest Christian hymn in common use, belonging to the first or second century. It was sung by the early Christians as a hymn of thanksgiving at the lighting of the candles at the vesper services in the church and probably also in the home. It is still so used in the Eastern churches. St. Basil wrote c. 370 regarding this hymn: “We cannot say who is the father of this expression at the Thanksgiving of the Lighting of the Lamps; but it is an _ancient_ formula which the people repeat.” So in A.D. 370 the hymn was already ancient! For comments on the translator, Robert Bridges, see Hymn 32. _MUSIC._ The tune NUNC DIMITTIS is by the French musician, Louis Bourgeois, c. 1510-61, the best melodist of his day, and composer of most of the music for the _Genevan Psalter_, a French metrical version of the Psalms published in 1549. Many of his melodies have been altered, as for example, “Old Hundredth,” but this one has come to us unchanged. It is a glorious melody which needs to be listened to repeatedly to be appreciated. The harmonization is by Claude Goudimel, c. 1505/10-72, another eminent Protestant musician, who provided harmonies for many of the Genevan psalm tunes. Goudimel’s life came to an end in the massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572, one of those tragedies during the counter-reformation in which the Protestants suffered at the hands of the Jesuits. 35. God that madest earth and heaven _Stanza 1, Reginald Heber_, 1783-1826 _Stanza 2, William Mercer_, 1811-73 _Stanza 3, Richard Whateley_, 1787-1863 The original hymn consisted of the first stanza only which was written by Reginald Heber after hearing the tune used here played by a Welch harpist in a home where Heber was visiting. Retiring to a quiet place, he promptly wrote the stanza to suit the melody. For comments on Reginald Heber see Hymn 1. William Mercer, author of the second stanza, was a clergyman in the Church of England in Sheffield. In 1857, he issued _The Church Psalter and Hymn Book_, the most important Church of England book of its time. His aim was to promote greater participation by the congregation in the hymn singing. Richard Whately was archbishop of Dublin. He was a man of great brilliance of mind, though, it is said, he had no ear for music and no eye for natural beauty. _MUSIC._ The tune AR HYD Y NOS is a Welsh traditional melody commonly associated with the words “All through the night.” It appears in many modern hymnals. A growing number of folk tunes are being used for hymn tunes. 36. Softly now the light of day _George Washington Doane_, 1799-1859