Watchman, Tell Us of the Night
- Joe Hawkins
- Oct 3
- 4 min read
Watchman, tell us of the night,
What its signs of promise are:
Traveler, o’er yon mountain’s height,
See that glory-beaming star!
Watchman, doth its beauteous ray
Aught of joy or hope foretell?
Traveler, yes; it brings the day,
Promised day of Israel.
The hymn begins with a dialogue between the traveler, representing humanity searching for hope, and the watchman, symbolizing those called to observe and proclaim the truth of God’s promises. The question is urgent: “What are the signs? What does this light mean?”
The answer points to the “glory-beaming star,” a direct allusion to the prophecy in Numbers 24:17 of the Star that would rise out of Jacob. This star, fulfilled in the first coming of Christ and announced to the Magi (Matt. 2:2), is more than a celestial sign — it is the dawning of redemption. But the hymn looks beyond Bethlehem; it points prophetically to Israel’s promised day of deliverance, a day still unfolding in God’s prophetic plan.
In our time, we echo this same dialogue. The world looks into the night of wars, deception, and moral decay, asking: What do these signs mean? And the watchmen — believers who know the Word of God — respond: The day is coming. The King is near. The promises to Israel and the nations will be fulfilled.
Watchman, tell us of the night;
Higher yet that star ascends:
Traveler, blessedness and light,
Peace and truth, its course portends.
Watchman, will its beams alone
Gild the spot that gave them birth?
Traveler, ages are its own,
And it bursts o’er all the earth!
The traveler sees the star climbing higher, its light spreading across the heavens. The response is filled with assurance: its ascent portends “peace and truth.” The light of Christ is not confined to Bethlehem or Jerusalem, nor even to Israel alone. It shines across all generations and throughout the earth.
This stanza reflects Isaiah’s prophecy: “I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isa. 49:6). The gospel, first entrusted to Israel, has gone out to the Gentiles, reaching every corner of the world. Yet the hymn reminds us that this light does not dim with time — its beams belong to the ages.
In the prophetic sense, this stanza reminds us that God’s plan has always had a global scope. Though nations rage and darkness deepens, the light continues to spread. Even today, amidst persecution and deception, the gospel is advancing, fulfilling Christ’s promise that this good news will be preached “in the whole world as a testimony to all nations” before the end comes (Matt. 24:14).
Watchman, tell us of the night;
For the morning seems to dawn:
Traveler, darkness takes its flight;
Doubt and terror are withdrawn.
Watchman, let thy wanderings cease;
Hie thee to thy quiet home.
Traveler, lo, the Prince of Peace,
Lo, the Son of God, is come!
The hymn reaches its climax: the night is fading, and the dawn is breaking. Darkness is retreating, fear is lifting, and the traveler can rest. The watchman’s final declaration is triumphant: the Prince of Peace has come.
This stanza captures both the already and the not-yet of Christ’s kingdom. In His first coming, Jesus brought light into the darkness (John 1:5), removing the terror of sin and death. Yet this stanza also foreshadows His second coming, when He will return as King of kings and Lord of lords, banishing night forever. Revelation 22:16 names Him the “bright morning star,” and Revelation 21:25 promises that in His eternal city, “there will be no night there.”
The call to “let thy wanderings cease” is a comfort to the faithful. For the believer weary of the world’s night — its sin, sorrow, and strife — the hymn reminds us that our journey has an appointed end. The One we watch for is faithful. Soon, the watchman’s duty will be over, for the Son of God Himself will come in glory.
Watching in the Night
This hymn resonates deeply with the calling of every believer in these last days. We are both travelers — longing for the dawn — and watchmen — tasked with proclaiming what we see. The prophetic signs around us point to the nearing return of Christ: Israel’s restoration, global cries for peace, moral collapse, and technologies that prepare the way for the Beast system. These are the faint rays of dawn breaking into the night.
As watchmen, we must sound the alarm with clarity and hope. The world is desperate for answers, asking: What do these signs mean? Our response must echo the hymn: The morning is coming. The Prince of Peace is on His way. The Son of God is come, and He is coming again.
Watchman, Tell Us of the Night - John Bowring
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