- Hail to the brightness of Zion’s glad morning!
Joy to the lands that in darkness have lain!
Hushed be the accents of sorrow and mourning;
Zion in triumph begins her mild reign. - Hail to the brightness of Zion’s glad morning!
Long by the prophets of Israel foretold;
Hail to the millions from bondage returning!
Gentiles and Jews the blest vision behold. - Lo, in the desert rich flowers are springing,
Streams ever copious are gliding along;
Loud from the mountaintops echoes are ringing,
Wastes rise in verdure, and mingle in song. - See, from all lands, from the isles of the ocean,
Praise to the Savior ascending on high;
Saints come to Zion with songs of devotion,
Shouts of salvation are rending the sky.
He wrote over 1000 hymns, including my son's favourite hymn, Rock of Ages. His aim was for the greater glory of God. Even though some consider him a poor poet and that his songs aren't top quality, his songs are quite popular and quite common in many hymnals.
His son, Thomas Samuel Hastings (1827-1911), who became president of Union Theological Seminary, said of him:
He was a devout and earnest Christian, a hard student, and resolute worker, not laying aside his pen until three days before his death. (source)