How Bright Appears the Morning Star

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How bright appears the Morning-Star, With mercy beaming from afar

Author: Philipp Nicolai; Translator and Adapter: William Mercer (alt.)
Tune: WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET
Published in 26 hymnals

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	How Bright Appears the Morning Star

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	CHRISTMAS MAJESTY

Choral
	O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright - (C…

Representative Text

1 How bright appears the Morning Star,
with mercy beaming from afar;
the host of heav'en rejoices.
O Righteous Branch, O Jesse’s Rod,
the Son of Man and Son of God,
we too will lift our voices:
Jesus, Jesus, holy, holy, yet most lowly,
come, draw near us;
great Emmanuel, come and hear us.

2 Though circled by the hosts on high,
He deigned to cast a pitying eye
upon His helpless creature.
The whole creation’s Head and Lord,
by highest seraphim adored,
assumed our very nature;
Jesus, grant us, through Your merit,
to inherit Your salvation.
Hear, O hear our supplication!

3 Rejoice, O heav'ns, and earth, reply;
with praise, O sinners, fill the sky
for this, His incarnation.
Incarnate God, put forth Your pow'r;
ride on, ride on, great Conqueror,
till all know Your salvation.
Amen, amen! Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise be given
evermore by earth and heaven.

Source: Hymns to the Living God #118

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Author: Philipp Nicolai

Nicolai, Philipp, D.D., son of Dieterich Nicolai, sometime Lutheran pastor at Herdecke, in Westphalia, and after 1552, at Mengeringhausen in Waldeck, was born at Mengeringhausen, August 10, 1556. (The father was son of Nicolaus Rafflenbol, of Rafflenbol, near Hagen, in Westphalia, and in later life had adopted the Latinised form Nicolai of his father's Christian name as his own surname.) In 1575 Nicolai entered the University of Erfurt, and in 1576 he went to Wittenberg. After completing his University course in 1579 (D.D. at Wittenberg July 4, 1594), he lived for some time at Volkliardinghausen, near Mengeringhausen, and frequently preached for his father. In August, 1583, he was appointed Lutheran preacher at Herdecke, but found many diff… Go to person page >

Translator and Adapter: William Mercer

Mercer, William, M.A., born at Barnard Castle, Durham, 1811, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A., 1835). In 1840 he was appointed Incumbent of St. George's, Sheffield. He died at Leavy Greave, Sheffield, Aug. 21, 1873. His principal work was:—- The Church Psalter and Hymn Book, comprising The Psalter, or Psalms of David, together with the Canticles, Pointed for Chanting; Four Hundred Metrical Hymns and Six Responses to the Commandments; the whole united to appropriate Chants and Tunes, for the use of Congregations and Families, by the Rev. William Mercer, M.A. . .. Assisted by John Goss, Esq…., 1854; enlarged 1856; issued without music, 1857; quarto edition 1860; rearranged edition (Oxford edition) 1864; Appendix 1872.… Go to person page >

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First Line:	How bright appears the Morning-Star, With mercy beaming from afar
Title:	How Bright Appears the Morning Star
German Title:	Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Author:	Philipp Nicolai
Translator and Adapter:	William Mercer (alt.)
Language:	English
Publication Date:	1964
Copyright:	Public Domain

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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 Cyber Hymnal #2567

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Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #357

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Hymns to the Living God (2017), p.95

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How Bright Appears the Morning Star

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