1. I sing to Thee with voice and heart,
Of all my joys the well;
I sing, that, what I know Thou art
My lips to all may tell:
That Thou a fountain art of grace,
With blessings richly stored
For all, in ev'ry time and place,
This well I know, O Lord.
2. Cheer up, faint heart, rejoice and sing,
All anxious fear resign;
For God, the sov'reign Lord and King,
Is Thy God, even thine:
He is thy portion, He thy joy,
Thy life, and light, and Lord;
Thy counsellor when doubts annoy,
Thy shield and great reward.
3. In restless thoughts or dark despair
Why spend the day and night?
On Him who loves thee cast thy care;
He makes our burdens light:
Did not His love, and truth, and pow'r
Watch o'er thy childhood's day?
Hath He not oft, in threat'ning hour,
Turned dreaded ills away?
4. His wisdom never plans in vain,
Ne'er falters, or mistakes;
All that His counsels wise ordain
A happy ending makes:
Upon thy mouth, then, lay thy hand,
And trust His guiding eye;
Thus, firm as rock, thy feet shall stand,
Now and eternally.
Source: The New Christian Hymnal #294
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 >
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