Awake, my heart, rejoicing

Awake, my heart, rejoicing

Translator: Alfred Ramsey; Author: Paul Gerhardt
Published in 4 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Awake, my heart, rejoicing,
Thy Maker's praises voicing,
The Giver good gifts sending;
Their shield, His folk defending.

2 All night while darkness bound me
In deepest gloom around me,
By Satan craved while sleeping,
God had me in His keeping.

3 Thou spak'st me words endearing;
Sleep now, my child, unfearing;
Sleep well, night's terrors spurning;
Thou'lt see the sun returning.

4 Thy word performed, now waking,
I see the bright dawn breaking,
Safe kept from ills unnumbered
While 'neath Thy care I slumbered.

5 An off'ring Thou desirest,
Behold what Thou requirest!
Nor lamb nor incense bringing,
I come with prayer and singing.

6 Nor wilt Thou now despise them,
But in Thy heart wilt prize them,
Well knowing, year, and surely
My best I offer purely.

7 Approve my works when shown Thee;
Help Thou good councils only;
Beginning, middle, closing,
Lord, for the best disposing.

8 With blessings guard me waking,
My heart Thy dwelling making,
And with Thy Word, Lord, feed me,
Whilst heavenward Thou dost lead me.

Source: Wartburg Hymnal: for church, school and home #41

Translator: Alfred Ramsey

(no biographical information available about Alfred Ramsey.) Go to person page >

Author: Paul Gerhardt

Paul Gerhardt (b. Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany, 1607; d. Lubben, Germany, 1676), famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg and then was a tutor in Berlin, where he became friends with Johann Crüger. He served the Lutheran parish of Mittenwalde near Berlin (1651-1657) and the great St. Nicholas' Church in Berlin (1657-1666). Friederich William, the Calvinist elector, had issued an edict that forbade the various Protestant groups to fight each other. Although Gerhardt did not want strife between the churches, he refused to comply with the edict because he thought it opposed the Lutheran "Formula of Concord," which con­demned some Calvinist doctrines. Consequently, he was r… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Awake, my heart, rejoicing
German Title: Wach auf, mein Herz, und singe
Author: Paul Gerhardt
Translator: Alfred Ramsey
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 4 of 4)

The Selah Song Book (Das Sela Gesangbuch) #d51

Page Scan

The Selah Song Book (Das Sela Gesangbuch) (2nd ed) #157a

The Selah Song Book. Word ed. #d25

TextPage Scan

Wartburg Hymnal #41

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