Morning Has Broken

lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon, traditional Gaelic melody

Morning Has Broken Lyrics

 

Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.

 

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven

Like the first dewfall, on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

 

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Born of the one light, Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning

God's recreation of the new day.

 

 

Morning Has Broken Guitar Chords

 

            C  Dm   G              F   C                 

Morning has broken, like the first morning

              Em Am   D7sus4   D     G                      

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

C              F        C              Am  D            

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

G               C     F   G7             C              

Praise for them springing fresh from the Word.

 

Scripture References

  • Genesis 1:5 - God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning-the first day.
  • Psalm 118:24 - This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
  • Psalm 5:3 - In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
  • Psalm 30:5 - weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
  • Psalm 90:14 - Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
  • Lamentations 3:22 - Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

The Story

 

Most people today associate the hymn "Morning Has Broken" with the popular recording the former Cat Stevens released in 1972. But the hymn was actually written 40 years earlier in 1931 by celebrated English children's book author Eleanor Farjeon. In fact, aside from being published in 1931 in the hymnal "Songs of Praise", the hymn was also published as a poem called "A Morning Song (for the First Day of Spring) in a children's poetry book published by Oxford University Press in 1957.

 

This was a case where the words were created to fit a Gaelic tune called "Bunessan", which has its roots in the Scottish highlands. The beautiful tune has been used for many different lyrics, including a Christmas carol that predates "Morning Has Broken" which starts "Child in the manger, infant of Mary", as well as contemporary uses such as a baptism hymn that starts "Baptized in Water, sealed in the Spirit", and a wedding hymn that starts "Vows have been spoken, prayers have been offered". But of course it's Farjeon's words that have stuck

 

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