Taking a break from Christmas hymns today, to share instead a hymn appropriate for New Year’s Eve.

Across the sky the shades of night
This New Year’s Eve are fleeting.
We deck Your altar, Lord, with light,
In solemn worship meeting;
And as the year’s last hours go by,
We raise to You our earnest cry,
Once more Your love entreating.

Before the cross subdued we bow,
To You our prayer addressing,
Recounting all Your mercies now,
And all our sins confessing;
Beseeching You this coming year
To keep us in Your faith and fear
And crown us with Your blessing.

We gather up in this brief hour
The mem’ry of Your mercies:
Your wondrous goodness, love, and pow’r
Our grateful song rehearses;
For You have been our strength and stay
In many a dark and dreary day
Of sorrow and reverses.

We now remember, as we pray,
Our dear ones in Your caring
Who brightly shine in endless day,
Past death and all despairing,
At our life’s end, Lord, as Your own,
Bring us with them around Your throne,
The joys of heaven sharing.

Then, gracious God, in years to come,
We pray Your hand may guide us,
And, onward through our journey home,
Your mercy walk beside us
Until at last our ransomed life
Is safe from peril, toil, and strife
When heav’n itself shall hide us. Lutheran Service Book # 899