Thanks for being a Hymnary.org user. You are one of more than 10 million people from 200-plus countries around the world who have benefitted from the Hymnary website in 2024! If you feel moved to support our work today with a gift of any amount and a word of encouragement, we would be grateful.

You can donate online at our secure giving site.

Or, if you'd like to make a gift by check, please make it out to CCEL and mail it to:
Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546
And may the promise of Advent be yours this day and always.

138. Thou Light of Gentile Nations

1 Thou Light of Gentile nations,
Thou Savior from above,
Drawn by Thy Spirit's leading,
We come with joy and love
Into Thy holy temple
And wait with earnest mind
As Simeon had waited
His God and Lord to find.

2 Yea, Lord, Thy servants meet Thee
In ev'ry holy place
Where Thy true Word has promised
That we should see Thy face.
Today Thou still dost grant us
Who gather round Thee here
In arms of faith to bear Thee
As did that aged seer.

3 Be Thou our Joy and Brightness,
Our Cheer in pain and loss,
Our Sun in darkest terror,
The Glory round our cross,
A Star for sinking spirits,
A Beacon in distress,
Physician, Friend, in sickness,
In death our Happiness.

4 Let us, O Lord, be faithful
Like Simeon to the end,
So that his prayer exultant
May from our hearts ascend:
"O Lord, now let Thy servant
Depart in peace, I pray,
Since I have seen my Savior
And here beheld His day."

5 My Savior, I behold Thee
With faith's enlightened eye;
Of Thee no foe can rob me,
His threats I can defy.
Within Thy heart abiding,
As Thou, O Lord, in me,
Death can no longer frighten
Nor part my soul from Thee.

6 Lord, here on earth Thou seemest
At times to frown on me,
And through my tears I often
Can scarce distinguish Thee;
But in the heavenly mansions
Shall nothing dim my sight;
There shall I see Thy glory
In never-changing light.

Amen.

Text Information
First Line: Thou Light of Gentile nations
Title: Thou Light of Gentile Nations
German Title: Herr Jesu, Licht der Heiden
Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1863, alt.)
Author: Johann Franck (1674)
Meter: 7.6.7.6.D.
Language: English
Publication Date: 1941
Scripture:
Topic: The Church Year: Presentation
Tune Information
Name: VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN
Composer: Melchior Teschner (1613)
Meter: 7.6.7.6.D.
Key: C Major



Media
More media are available on the text authority and tune authority pages.

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.