Heavenward doth our journey tend

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Heavenward doth our journey tend

Author: Benjamin Schmolck (1731); Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1855)
Tune: MEINEN JESUM LASS ICH NICHT (Hammerschmidt)
Published in 11 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Heavenward doth our journey tend,
Here on earth we are but strangers,
Towards our promised Land we wend,
Thro' a wilderness of dangers;
Here we roam a pilgrim band,
Yonder is our native land.

2 Heavenward stretch, my soul, thy wings,
Thou canst claim a heavenly nature;
Cleave not to these earthly things,
Thou canst rest not in the creature.
Every soul that God inspires,
Back to Him, its Source, aspires.

3 Heavenward! doth His Spirit cry,
Oft as in His word I hear Him;
Pointing to the rest on high
Where I shall be ever near Him.
When His Word fills all my thought,
Oft to heaven my soul is caught.

4 Heavenward still I long to haste,
When Thy Supper, Lord, is given;
Heavenly strength on earth I taste,
Feeding on the Bread of Heaven;
Such is e'en on earth our fare,
Who Thy marriage feast will share.

5 Heavenward! To that blessed home
Death at last will surely lead me;
All my trials overcome,
Christ with life and joy will feed me;
Who Himself hath gone before
That we too might heavenward soar.

6 Heavenward! This shall be my cry
While a pilgrim here I wander,
Passing earth's allurements by
For the love of what is yonder;
Heavenward all my being tends,
Till in Heaven my journey ends.

Source: Evangelical Lutheran hymnal: with music #407

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Author: Benjamin Schmolck

Schmolck, Benjamin, son of Martin Schmolck, or Schmolcke, Lutheran pastor at Brauchitschdorf (now Chrόstnik) near Liegnitz in Silesia (now Poland) was born at Brauchitschdorf, Dec. 21, 1672. He entered the Gymnasium at Lauban in 1688, and spent five years there. After his return home he preached for his father a sermon which so struck the patron of the living that he made Benjamin an allowance for three years to enable him to study theology. He matriculated, at Michaelmas, 1693, at the University of Leipzig, where he came under the influence of J. Olearius, J. B. Carpzov, and others, and throughout his life retained the character of their teaching, viz. a warm and living practical Christianity, but Churchly in tone and not Pietistic. In th… Go to person page >

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Heavenward doth our journey tend
German Title:	Himmelan geht unsre Bahn
Author:	Benjamin Schmolck (1731)
Translator:	Catherine Winkworth (1855)
Meter:	7.7.7.7.7.7
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain