O Eternal word, Jesus Christ, our Lord

Representative Text

1 O Eternal Word,
Jesus Christ, our Lord!
While the hosts of heav'n adore you,
we with awe fall down before you,
and with rapture raise
songs of love and praise.

2 God and man indeed,
comfort in all need,
you became a Man of sorrows,
to gain life eternal for us
by your precious blood,
Jesus, man and God.

3 Holy is your name!
Who can make this claim?
Source of rest and consolation,
life, and light, and full salvation;
Son of God your name,
none can make this claim.

4 By your Spirit’s light
teach me, Lord, aright,
that I watch and pray with fervor,
trusting you, my soul’s preserver;
love unfeigned, O Lord,
unto me afford.

Source: Moravian Book of Worship #473

Translator: John Swertner

Swertner, John, b. Sept. 12, 1746, at Haarlem, in Holland, Moravian minister at various places in England and Ireland; d. at Bristol, March 11, 1813. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)  Go to person page >

Author: Christian Gregor

Gregor, Christian, son of Georg Gregor, a peasant living in the Silesian village of Dirsdorf, near Peilau, was born at Dirsdorf, Jan. 1, 1723. In 1742 he went to Herrnhut, where he was at first employed in tuition. He became leader of the music in the [Moravian] Brethren's congregation at Herrnhaag, in 1748, and in 1749 at Zeist; but in 1753 he returned to Herrnhut as cashier of the Brethren's Board of Direction. He was, in 1756, ordained diaconus, in 1767 presbyter, and in 1789 bishop of the Brethren's Church. On Nov. 6,1801, he attended a meeting, held at Herrnhut, of the Board of Direction of which he had been a member from 1764. Just as he entered his house at Berthelsdorf, near Herrnhut, he was struck with paralysis, and died that same… Go to person page >

Author: Adam Drese

Drese, Adam, was born in Dec. 1620, in Thuringia, probably at Weimar. He was at first musician at the court of Duke Wilhelm, of Sachse-Weimar; and after being sent by the Duke for further training under Marco Sacchi at Warsaw, was appointed his Kapellmeister in 1655. On the Duke's death in 1662, his son, Duke/Bernhard, took Drese with him to Jena, appointed him his secretary, and, in 1672, Town Mayor. After Duke Bernhard's death, in 1678, Drese remained in Jena till 1683, when he was appointed Kapellmeister at Arnstadt to Prince Anton Günther, of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. He died at Arnstadt, Feb. 15, 1701 (Koch, iv. 270-274; Allg. Deutsche Biog., v. 397; Wetzel, i. 1934, and A. H. , vol. i., pt. iv., pp. 28-30). In 1680, the reading o… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O Eternal word, Jesus Christ, our Lord
Original Language: German
Translator: John Swertner
Author: Christian Gregor
Author: Adam Drese
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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Moravian Book of Worship #473

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