Welcome, Delightful Morn

Welcome, delightful morn,
Thou day of sacred rest!
I hail thy kind return;
Lord, make these moments blest;
From the low train of mortal toys,
I soar to reach immortal joys,
I soar to reach immortal joys.

Now may the King descend,
And fill His throne with grace;
Thy scepter, Lord, extend,
While saints address Thy face:
Let sinners feel Thy quickening Word,
And learn to know and fear the Lord,
And learn to know and fear the Lord.

Descend, celestial Dove,
With all Thy quickening powers;
Disclose a Savior’s love,
And bless the sacred hours:
Then shall my soul new life obtain,
Nor Sabbaths be enjoyed in vain,
Nor Sabbaths be enjoyed in vain.

Author: Hayward

Year: 1792

The hymn is from the 1792 Collection of Hymns and Spiritual Songs by the obscure Baptist minister known only as Hayward (sometimes listed as 'Hayward's Collection'). It is occasionally misattributed to other 18th-century writers such as Philip Doddridge or John Needham, but primary sources point to Hayward.