A rendering of Psalm 72, made in 1821 for the Christmas worship of a Moravian settlement. The original has eight stanzas. Montgomery was greatly interested in missions and this hymn, generally esteemed his finest composition, is a good missionary hymn as well as a splendid one for the Advent season. Dr. Adam Clarke gave it wide publicity by publishing it in his famous _Bible Commentary_, 1822, at the end of his exposition of Psalm 72, adding this note: I need not tell the intelligent reader that he has seized the spirit, and exhibited some of the principal beauties, of the Hebrew bard; though (to use his own words in a letter to me) his “hand trembled to touch the harp of Zion.” I take the liberty here to register a wish, which I have strongly expressed to himself, that he would favor the Church of God with a metrical version of the whole book. It is interesting to compare this hymn with Isaac Watts’ rendering of the same psalm (341). For comments on James Montgomery see Hymn 62. _MUSIC._ WEBB, also known as “Morning Light,” was composed for a secular song, “’Tis dawn, the lark is singing,” and first published in _Odeon: A Collection of Secular Melodies_, by G. J. Webb and Lowell Mason, 1837. It first appeared as a hymn tune in _The Wesleyan Psalmist_, 1842, and later it was used for the hymn “The morning Light is breaking,” in books by Mason and Webb. The composer, George James Webb, 1803-87, a member of the Swedenborgian Church, was born near Salisbury, England; studied theology and music; came to the United States and became associated with Lowell Mason in editing and publishing music books. He was married to Mason’s daughter, Mary. He played the organ at Old South Church, Boston, and was Professor of Secular Music in the Boston Academy of Music. 66. Watchman, tell us of the night _John Bowring_, 1792-1872 An Advent and missionary hymn, unique in that it consists of a dialog (between a watchman and a traveller). The hymn is based on Isaiah 21:11, 12: “Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.” The meaning of the passage is not evident from the context. Dr. C. S. Robinson describes the setting as follows: