Where is the Friend for whom I'm ever yearning

Top Text Translator Author Text Info Tune Timeline Arrangements Page Scans Instances

Where is the Friend for whom I'm ever yearning

Translator: Charles William Schæffer; Author: Johan Olaf Wallin
Published in 9 hymnals

Piano/Organ
	Near the Cross (Holy Week Reflections fo…

Choral
	A Lenten Meditation - (Ah, Holy Jesus)

Instrumental
	Preludes for Flute and Organ

Representative Text

1 Where is the Friend for whom I'm ever yearning?
My longing grows when day to night is turning;
And though I find Him not as day recedeth
My heart still pleadeth.

2 When summer winds blow gently, then I hear Him;
Where sing the birds, where rush the streams I'm near Him.
But better far when in my heart He blesses
Me with caresses.

3 O where such beauty is itself revealing
In all that lives, through all creation stealing,
What must the source be whence it comes— the Giver?
Beauty forever.

4 And yet to hide Him oft a cloud prevaileth,
My prayer can reach Him, but my vision faileth;
Would I could see His face and heart so loving,
And cease my roving!

5 My soul, be strong! Hope, pray with self-denial!
The heavenly Friend submits Himself to trial:
So shalt thou find in Him, on Him depending,
Mercy unending.

Amen.

Source: The Hymnal #329

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

Translator: Charles William Schæffer

(no biographical information available about Charles William Schæffer.) Go to person page >

Author: Johan Olaf Wallin

Johan Olaf Wallin was born at Stora Tuna, in 1779, and early displayed his poetical powers. In 1805, and again in 1809, he gained the chief prize for poetry at Upsala. In the latter year he became pastor at Solna; here his ability as a preacher was so striking that he was transferred to Stockholm, in 1815, as "pastor primarius," a title for which we have no exact equivalent. In 1818 he was made Dean of Westeras, and set about the task of editing a revised hymn-book for the whole of Sweden. This task he completed in 1819, and published it as, Den Swenska Psalmboken, af Konungen gillad och stadfästad (The Swedish hymn-book, approved and confirmed by the King). To it he contributed some 150 hymns of his own, besides translations and recasting… Go to person page >

^ top

Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Where is the Friend for whom I'm ever yearning
Original Language:	Swedish
Author:	Johan Olaf Wallin
Translator:	Charles William Schæffer
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

^ top

Tune

O DU GUDS LAM

HERZLIEBSTER JESU

Partially based on earlier melodies (including the Genevan tune for Psalm 23), HERZ LIEBSTER JESU was composed by Johann Crüger (PHH 42) and published in his Neues vollkömliches Gesangbuch (1640). Johann S. Bach (PHH 7) used the tune in both his St. Matthew Passion and St. John Passion, and variou…

Go to tune page >

All tunes published with 'Where is the Friend for whom I'm ever yearning'^ top

Timeline

^ top

Arrangements

Store

Piano/Organ Near the Cross (Holy Week Reflections for Organ) Preludes for Flute and Organ Seasons of Praise (Artistic Hymn-Based Medleys for Solo Ringing and Piano) More Piano/Organ...
Choral A Lenten Meditation - (Ah, Holy Jesus) More Choral...
Instrumental Four Chorale Meditations for Organ and Solo Instrument More Instrumental...
Handbells AH, HOLY JESUS Seasons of Praise (Artistic Hymn-Based Medleys for Solo Ringing and Piano) The Cross, The Grave, The Skies! (Reproducible Handbell Settings of Classic Hymn Tunes for Lent and Easter) More Handbells...