I was introduced to an old gospel hymn the other day that I had never heard before. It was written by Phillip Bliss in 1871 and entitled “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning.” Bliss, who passed away tragically at the age of 38 in a train wreck, was a prolific hymn writer. The popular evangelist, D.L. Moody encouraged Bliss to become a singing evangelist. It was while he was on his way to sing at an evangelistic event at Moody’s Tabernacle that Bliss and his wife were involved in the train wreck that claimed their lives in late 1876.
Distant Lights
This particular gospel hymn paints the picture of the desperate seaman out at sea amid the angry waves. Under the darkness of night he is desperately searching for the safety of the shoreline. This describes every sinner’s plight of being swallowed up in iniquity. His only hope is to find and cling to the light on the shoreline, which is Jesus Christ.
Dark the night of sin has settled loud the angry billows roar; eager eyes are watching longing for the lights along the shore.
Let the Lower Lights Be Burning
It’s an apt reminder to us that our community is full of hurting people who are looking for hope. The church has the remedy to soothe their hurts. Our community is full of lonely people who need a friend. What better friend than Jesus!
Mercy Beams
The hymn begins by pointing the believer in Christ to our responsibility of keeping the lights lit along the shoreline. It reminds us that we are the watchmen on the wall of the city (Ezekiel 33). In this case, the metaphor is the lighthouse along the shoreline.
Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from his lighthouse evermore; but to us he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.
Let the Lower Lights Be Burning
Our Father of mercy has comforted us so that we might comfort others. We have been rescued so that we might introduce other drowning souls to our Rescuer. It’s a needed reminder for us to maintain our gospel witness in every age. There are souls all around us who do not yet have the knowledge of God. If we fail to keep the light of Christ burning in this generation then it will be to our shame.
Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. 2 Corinthians 15:34
Trim Your Lamp
The church’s mission is to the “poor sailor tempest tossed” and to the “fainting struggling seaman.” Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. This requires that we believers trim our lamps so that the light of the gospel will shine more brightly from the shorelines of our lives. This is the appeal of the hymn to us today. It is a scriptural appeal.
Trim your feeble lamp my brother, some poor sailor tempest tossed; trying now to make the harbor in the darkness may be lost.
Let the Lower Lights Be Burning
Below is the full text of the hymn. I commend it to you for listening and reflection. (Click here to listen) May it serve to steer us to its most noble purpose: the saving of souls for the glory of Christ. May the love of Christ compel us to share the gospel.
Brightly beams our Father’s mercy from His lighthouse evermore; But to us he gives the keeping of the lights along the shore. Let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across the wave; Some poor fainting struggling seaman, you may rescue you may save. Dark the night of sin has settled loud and angry billows roar; Eager eyes are watching longing for the lights along the shore. Let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across the wave; Some poor fainting struggling seaman, you may rescue you may save. Trim your feeble lamp my brother, some poor sailor tempest tossed; Trying now to make the harbor in the darkness may be lost. Let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across the wave; Some poor fainting struggling seaman, you may rescue you may save.