Behold how glorious is yon sky

Representative Text

1 Behold, how glorious is yon sky!
Lo, there the righteous never die,
But dwell in peace for ever:
Then who would wear this earthly clay,
When bid to cast life's chains away,
And win Thy gracious favor?
Holy, Holy, O forgive us;
And receive us, heavenly Father,
When around Thy throne we gather.

2 Confiding in Thy sacred word,
Our Savior is our hope, O Lord,
The guiding star before us;
Our Shepherd, leading us the way,
If from Thy paths our footsteps stray,
To Thee He will restore us:
Holy, Holy, ever hear us,
And receive us, while we gather
Round Thy throne, Almighty Father.

Source: The Lutheran Hymnary #252

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Author: K. W. Ramler

(no biographical information available about K. W. Ramler.) Go to person page >

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Text Information

First Line: Behold how glorious is yon sky
Author: K. W. Ramler
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain
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Notes

Behold! how glorious is yon sky. [Eternal Life.] This hymn, in 2 stanzas, is No. 749 in the New Congregational Hymn Book, 1859, and No. 611 in Dr. Alton's Congregational Psalmist Hymnal, 1886. It has evidently been written for or adapted to the fine German chorale, "Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern". But not one single line can be said to be translated either from the hymn of Nicolai, or from the recast of Nicolai’s hymn made by J. A. Schlegel (q.v.); and it must rank as an anonymous English hymn.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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Tune

WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET

Adapting a tune written for Psalm 100 found in Wolff Köphel's Psalter (1538), Nicolai composed WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET, which was published with the text in 1599. Although the tune was originally more varied rhythmically, the hymnal version here is isorhythmic (all equal rhythms) and set to the rich ha…

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The Lutheran Hymnary #252

The Lutheran Hymnary #252
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