Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies
Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true, the only light
A morning hymn using the imagery of the rising sun to speak of Christ as the true light. The three stanzas move from the cry for Christ's light to the honest confession of inner darkness and finally to the prayer for the full radiance of Christ's presence. One of Wesley's most theologically rich short hymns.
History & Background
Written by Charles Wesley (1740) and published in Hymns and Sacred Poems. One of Wesley's finest morning hymns, using the image of Christ as the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2) to frame a prayer for spiritual illumination.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 553
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 265
Bulletin Note
Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies — Charles Wesley, 1740
Preaching Connection
Malachi 4:2 — Christ as the Sun of Righteousness; appropriate for morning worship.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Invocation of Christ's illuminating presence → Personal petition for inner light → Transformation through divine radiance → Progressive sanctification to Christlikeness
Themes
Light of Christ Morning Wesley Illumination