John Bowring: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Watchman, Tell Us of the Night

John Bowring

“Watchman, Tell Us of the Night” as printed in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920).

John Bowring: Collected Lyrics Text 3 1920 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Army and Navy Hymnal, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Watchman, tell us of the night,

What its signs of promise are:

Trav'ler, o'er yon mountain's height,

See that glory-beaming star;

Watchman, doth its beauteous ray

Aught of joy or hope foretell?

Trav'ler, yes; it brings the day,

Promised day of Israel.

Watchman, tell us of the night,

Higher yet that star ascends;

Trav'ler, blessedness and light,

Peace and truth, its course portends.

Watchman, will its beams alone

Gild the spot that gave them birth?

Trav'ler, ages are its own,

See, it bursts o'er all the earth.

Watchman, tell us of the night,

For the morning seems to dawn:

Trav'ler, darkness takes its flight,

Doubt and terror are withdrawn.

Watchman, let thy wan-d'rings cease;

Hie thee to thy quiet home:

Trav'ler, lo, the Prince of Peace,

Lo, the Son of God is come.

A - men.

Credits

Written by John Bowring

Words by John Bowring. Historical text published in The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Army and Navy Hymnal (1920), “Watchman, Tell Us of the Night”

The 1920 published edition is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; traditional and anonymous entries are public domain. Pages whose scan quality is below the proofread threshold are held for review.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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