My soul puts off her sadness
Thy glories to proclaim;
With all her strength and gladness
She fain would serve Thy Name.
3 I lay in fetters groaning,
Thou comest to set me free!
I stood, my shame bemoaning,
Thou comest to honor me!
A glory Thou dost give me,
A treasure safe on high,
Thou wilt not fail nor leave me
As earthly riches fly.
4 Love caused Thy incarnation,
Love brought Thee down to me.
Thy thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
O Love beyond all telling,
That led Thee to embrace,
In love all love excelling,
Our lost and fallen race!
5 Rejoice then, ye sad-hearted,
Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn o'er joys departed,
And tremble at your doom:
He who alone can cheer you,
Is standing at the door;
He brings His pity near you,
And bids you weep no more.
Unknown. 1859.
Tr. Paul Gerhardt. 1653.
Auf, auf, ihr Reichsgenossen.
1 ARISE, the kingdom is at hand,
The King is drawing nigh;
Arise with joy, thou faithful band,
To meet the Lord most high!
2 Look up, ye souls weighed down with care,
The Sovereign is not far.
Look up, faint hearts, from your despair,
Behold the Morning Star!
Look up, ye drooping hearts, to-day!
The King is very near:
O cast your griefs and fears away,
For lo, your Help is here!
4 Hope, O ye broken hearts, at last!
The King comes on in might;
He loved us in the ages past,
When we lay wrapped in night:
5 Now fear and wrath to joy give place,
Now are our sorrows o'er,
Since God hath made us in His grace
His children evermore.
60 rich the gifts Thou bringest us,
Thyself made poor and weak;
O Love beyond compare that thus
Can foes and sinners seek!
7 For this we raise a gladsome voice
On high to Thee alone,
And evermore with thanks rejoice
Before Thy glorious throne.
From Miss Winkworth. 1858.
Tr. John Rist. 1651.
Ermuntert euch, ihr Frommen.
1 REJOICE, all ye believers,
And let your lights appear!
The evening is advancing,
And darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising,
And soon He draweth nigh.
Up! pray, and watch, and wrestle-
At midnight comes the cry!
2 The watchers on the mountain
Proclaim the Bridegroom near;
Go meet Him as He cometh,
With hallelujahs clear.
The marriage-feast is waiting,
The gates wide open stand;
Up, up, ye heirs of glory;
The Bridegroom is at hand!
3 Ye saints, who here in patience
Your cross and sufferings bore,
Shall live and reign for ever,
When sorrow is no more.
Around the throne of glory
The Lamb ye shall behold,
In triumph cast before Him
Your diadems of gold!
4 Our Hope and Expectation,
O Jesus! now appear;
Arise, Thou Sun so longed for,
O'er this benighted sphere!
With hearts and hands uplifted,
We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth's redemption,
That brings us unto Thee!
Tr. Laurentius Laurenti. 1700.
1 LIFT up your heads, ye mighty gates!
Behold, the King of glory waits;
The King of kings is drawing near,
The Saviour of the world is here.
Life and salvation He doth bring;
Wherefore rejoice, and gladly sing,
All praise, O [Father] God, to Thee!
Creator, wise is Thy deeree!
2 The Lord is just, a Helper tried,
Mercy is ever at His side;
His kingly erown is holiness,
His sceptre, pity in distress.
The end of all our woe He brings:
Wherefore the earth is glad and sings,
All praise, O Son [of God], to Thee!
O Saviour, great Thy deeds shall be!
3 0, blest the land, the city blest,
Where Christ the Ruler is confest!
O happy hearts and happy homes
To whom this King in triumph comes!
The cloudless Sun of joy He is,
Who bringeth pure delight and bliss:
[All] praise, [0] Holy Ghost, to Thee!
Blest Spirit, for Thy comfort free!
4 Fling wide the portals of your heart;
Make it a temple, set apart
From earthly use for heaven's employ,
Adorned with prayer, and love, and joy.
So shall your Sovereign enter in,
And new and nobler life begin.
All praise, 0 [gracious] God, be Thine,
For word, and deed, and grace divine!
5 Redeemer, come! I open wide
My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!
Let me Thy inner presence feel,
Thy grace and love in me reveal.
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on,
Until our glorious goal be won!
Eternal praise and [deathless] fame
Be offered, Saviour, to Thy Name!
Miss Winkworth. 1855, a.
Tr. George Weiszel. 1630.
121 Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland.
1 COME, Thou Saviour of our race,
Choicest Gift of heavenly grace!
O Thou blessed Virgin's Son,
Be Thy race on earth begun.
2 Not of mortal blood or birth,
He descends from heaven to earth:
By the Holy Ghost conceived,
Truly man to be believed.
3 Wondrous birth! O wondrous Child
Of the Virgin undefiled!
Though by all the world disowned,
Still to be in heaven enthroned.
4 From the Father forth He came,
And returneth to the same:
Captive leading death and hell,-
High the song of triumph swell.
5 Equal to the Father now,
Though to dust Thou once didst bow;
Boundless shall Thy kingdom be;
When shall we its glories see?
6 Brightly doth Thy manger shine;
Glorious is its light divine:
Let not sin o'ercloud this light,
Ever be our faith thus bright.
William M. Reynolds. 1850.
Tr. Martin Luther. d. 1546.
From Ambrose, d. 387.
1 HOSANNA to the living Lord!
Hosanna to the Incarnate Word!
To Christ, Creator, Saviour, King,
Let earth, let heaven Hosanna sing.
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