And Now The Sun’s Declining Rays

This hymn is used for None on Sundays and Weekdays throughout the year in the Paris Breviary. 

This is the original text of the hymn from John Chandler’s 1837 Hymns of the Primitive Church:

And now the sun’s declining rays
Towards the eve descend ;
E’en so our years are sinking down
To their appointed end.

Lord, on the cross thine arms were stretched,
To draw us to the sky:
Oh grant us then that cross to love,
And in those arms to die.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Holy Ghost,
All glory be from saints on earth,
And from the angel-host. Amen.

Words: Fr. Charles Coffin, 1736; tr. John Chandler, 1837.
Tune: “Byzantium” T. Jackson, 18th C.
Tune (Church Hymns): “Holy Trinity” Joseph Barnaby, 1861. (8.6.8.6)
Tune (Hymns Ancient & Modern): “St. Columba“ ancient Irish melody. (8.6.8.6)
Alternate Tune (Hymns Ancient & Modern): “St. Peter“ Alexander R. Reinagle, 1836. (8.6.8.6)
Tune (The English Hymnal): “St. Nicholas” Melody from Holdroyd’s Spiritual Man’s Companion, 1753.
Meter: 88.88

This is the text as it appeared in altered form in Hymns Ancient and Modern (1861) where it is listed as an evening hymn:

As now the sun’s declining rays
At eventide descend,
So life’s brief day is sinking down
To its appointed end.

Lord, on the Cross Thine Arms were stretched,
To draw Thy people nigh;
O grant us then that Cross to love,
And in those Arms to die!

All glory to the Father be,
All glory to the Son,
All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While endless ages run.

This is the text of this hymn as it appears in The English Hymnal (1906) as an evening hymn:

As now the sun’s declining rays
At eventide descend,
E’en so our years are sinking down
To their appointed end.

Lord, on the Cross thine arms were stretched
To draw the nations nigh;
O grant us then that Cross to love,
And in those arms to die.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Holy Ghost,
All glory be from saints on earth,
And from the Angel host. Amen.

This is the text of this hymn as it appears in Church Hymns (1871) where it is listed as an afternoon hymn:

As now the sun’s declining rays
Towards the eve descend,
So life’s brief day is sinking down
To its appointed end.

Lord, on the Cross Thine Arms were stretched
To draw Thy people nigh;
Oh grant us then that Cross to love,
And in those Arms to die!

All glory to the Father be,
All glory to the Son,
All glory, Holy Ghost, to Thee,
While endless ages run. Amen.

The original Latin text of this hymn may be found here.