Paul Gerhardt's Spiritual Songs ‎#45

45. A Song of Christian Joy

Why should sorrow ever grieve me?
Christ is near,
What can here
E’er of Him deprive me?
Who can rob me of my heaven
That God’s Son,
As mine own,
To my faith hath given?

Naked was I and unswathèd
When on earth
At my birth
My first breath I breathèd.
Naked hence shall I betake me,
When I go
From earth’s woe,
And my breath forsake me.

Nought—not e’en the life I’m living,
Is mine own,
God alone
All to me is giving.
Must I then His own restore Him?
Though bereft
Of each gift
Still shall I adore Him.

Though a heavy cross I’m bearing,
And my heart
Feels the smart,
Shall I be despairing?
God can help me, who doth send it,
He doth know
All my woe
And how best to end it.

God oft gives me days of gladness,
Shall I grieve
If He give
Seasons too of sadness?
God is good, and tempers ever
Every hurt,
Me desert
Wholly can He never,

Though united world and devil,
All their pow’r
Can no more
Do than mock and cavil.
Let derision now employ them,
Christ e’en here
Will appear
And ’fore all destroy them.

True believers shrinking never,
Where they dwell
Should reveal
Their true colours ever.
When approaching death would scare them,
Still should they
Patient stay
And with courage bear them.

Death can never kill us even,
But relief
From all grief
To us then is given.
It doth close life’s mournful story,
Make a way
That we may
Pass to heav’nly glory.

There I’ll reap enduring pleasure,
After woe
Here below
Suffer’d in large measure.
Lasting good we find here never,
All the earth
Deemeth worth
Vanisheth for ever.

What is all this life possesseth?
But a hand
Fall of sand
That the heart distresseth.
Noble gifts that pall me never,
Christ so free
There gives me
To enjoy for ever.

Shepherd! Lord! joy’s fountain ever,
Thou art mine,
I am Thine,
No one can us sever.
I am Thine, because Thou gavest
Life and blood
For my good,
By Thy death me savest.

Thou’rt mine, for I love and own Thee,
Ne’er shall I,
Light of joy,
From my heart dethrone Thee.
Let me, let me soon behold Thee
Face to face,
Thy embrace
May it soon enfold me!

Text Information

• First Line: Why should sorrow ever grieve me?
• Title: A Song of Christian Joy
• German Title: Warum sollt ich mich denn graemen?
• Author: Paul Gerhardt
• Translator: John Kelly (1867)
• Meter: 8,3,3,6,8,3,3,6
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1867

Tune Information

(No tune information)