I love the prayers and poetry of John Birch. I’ve set several of them to music for choir and piano in the past couple of years. One of my favorite arrangements so far is God of Rising Sun.
God of rising sun, embrace us. God of mist and rain, refresh us. God of flowing stream, revive us. God of day and nighttime, hear us. God of tears and laughter, bless us. God of love and pow’r, uphold us. Your children and your family, we pray.
The lyrics intertwine, blending the phrases of prayer and praise. Each voice part adds to the beauty and propels the theme forward. A flowing piano accompaniment, limited divisi, and moderate vocal ranges make this anthem accessible for any size choir. The full score is available HERE.
Admittedly, the first time I read through the prayer I read it as “God of Rising Son” thinking it referred to the the resurrection of Christ. I feel that would have been an entirely appropriate way to interpret the words as well. It always makes me smile when we sing this one.