At time’s first dawn, the Godhead shone
in glory deep and splendor great.
Enwrapt with beauty, mankind owned
the praise of God inviolate.
‘Till in that sin of unbelief
man sped to his eternal grief.
Then Eden fell, and, with it, joy
as God His face from man withdrew.
In desp’rate longing earth employed
the scourge of sinners yet anew.
Yet fleeting pleasures ne’er could fill
the sightless void that lingered still.
From Cain to Judas horror swept
across the dying realm of earth.
In drunken blindness mortals crept
away from joy, and love, and mirth.
Take heart! The cross, though cloaked in pain
shall guide man to their God again.
At death’s last night, a cloudless bliss
shall gather ‘round the gates of heav’n.
What glory deep and splendor this!—
pure sight of God, all purged of leav’n.
No cloud of sin shall e’er arise
to dim man’s thrice-adoring eyes.
