285. O day of rest and gladness

Christopher Wordsworth, 1807-85

A hymn which serves to keep vividly before us the meaning and value of the Lord’s Day. It appears as the opening hymn in the author’s The Holy Year, 1862, where it is entitled “Sunday.” It is based on Psalm 118:24: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

For comments on Christopher Wordsworth see [Hymn 174].

MUSIC. MENDEBRAS was written for this hymn in 1839. It is an arrangement by Lowell Mason of a German folk song.

For comments on Lowell Mason see [Hymn 12].