{"id":75548,"date":"2026-01-01T03:33:53","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T07:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=75548"},"modified":"2026-01-01T05:26:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-01T09:26:43","slug":"jehovah-thou-hast-promised-the-isles-shall-wait-for-thee-a-hymn-fo-ceylon-by-rev-w-s-senior","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=75548","title":{"rendered":"“Jehovah, Thou hast promised,,The isles shall wait for Thee,” – A Hymn for Ceylon- Written by Rev.W.S. Senior"},"content":{"rendered":"


\nBy<\/p>\n

D.B.S. Jeyaraj<\/strong><\/p>\n

Compliments of the Season everyone and best wishes for a bright and blessed 2026.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

I am beginning the new year by re-posting \u201cThe Hymn of Ceylon\u201d on my Blog.<\/p>\n

The \u201chymn of Ceylon\u201d was written by by Rev. W. S. Senior. Walter Stanley Senior was a scholar, pastor, teacher and poet who served in Sri Lanka for many years as Vice Principal of Trinity College, Kandy and Vicar at Christ Church, Galle Face.<\/p>\n

Rev. W.S. Senior\u2019s \u2018Hymn of Ceylon\u2019. was always sung at the annual prize giving event of St. Thomas\u2019 Preparatory School in Kollupitiya where I studied from 1959 to \u201964. It is a Christian hymn and was set to the melody of \u2018Danno Budunge\u2019 by Devar Surya Sena as requested by Senior himself.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

When we sang the lines \u2018Give peace within her borders, Twixt man and man goodwill,\u2019 in those days of innocent childhood, little did we realise that this blessed Island was going to be torn apart by a cruel war lasting for decades.<\/p>\n

The war has ended now. What is sad and troubling are the efforts by extremists on either side of the ethnic divide to whip up communal passions whenever possible. It is very likely that some political parties on either side of the ethnic divide will resort to subtle racism in a bid to gain more political clout.. One hopes and prays that saner counsel prevails and the merchandising of hatred ceases. <\/p>\n

Here is Rev. Senior\u2019s \u2018The Hymn of Ceylon\u2019 for the island and all her people.<\/p>\n

****************************<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jehovah, Thou hast promised
\nThe isles shall wait for Thee,
\nThe joyous isles of ocean,
\nThe jewels of the sea.
\nLo! we, this island\u2019s watchmen
\nWould give and take no rest;
\nFor thus hast Thou commanded
\nTill our dear land is blessed.<\/p>\n

Then bless her mighty Father,
\nWith blessings needed most,
\nIn every verdant village,
\nBy every palmy coast.
\nOn every soaring mountain,
\nO\u2019er every spreading plain,
\nMay all her sons and daughters
\nThy righteousness attain.<\/p>\n

Give peace within her borders
\nTwixt man and man goodwill,
\nThe love all unsuspicious,
\nThe love that works no ill.
\nIn loyal lowly service,
\nLet each from other learn,
\nThe guardian and the guarded,
\nTill Christ Himself return.<\/p>\n

To Him our land shall listen,
\nTo Him our peoples kneel;
\nAll rule be on His shoulder,
\nAll wrong beneath His heel;
\nO consummation glorious
\nWhich now by faith we sing;
\nCome, cast we up the highway
\nThat brings us back our King!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n