Komm, Heiden Heiland, Lösegeld

Representative Text

1. Komm, Heidenheiland, Lösegeld,
Komm, schönste Lilie dieser Welt!
Laß abwärts flammen deinen Schein,
Denn so will Gott geboren sein.

2. O Wunder, das kein Mensch versteht,
Die reine Jungfrau schwanger geht,
Nicht von des Mannes Kraft und Lieb,
Allein nur durch des Geistes Trieb.

3. Komm an von deinem Himmelsthron,
Du Gottes und Marien Sohn,
Komm an, du zweigestammter held,
Geh mutig durch dies Thal der Welt.

4. Du nahmest erdwärts deinen Lauf,
Und stiegst auch wieder himmelauf,
Dein Abfahrt war zum Höllenthal,
Die Rückfahrt in den Sternensaal.

5. O höchster Fürst, dem Vater gleich,
Besieg hier dieses Fleisches Reich,
Denn unsres siechen Leibes Haft
Sehnt sich nach deiner Himmelskraft.

6. Es glänzet deiner Krippen Strahl,
Ein Licht leucht durch dies finstre Thal,
Es giebt die Nacht so hellen Schein,
Der da wird unverlöschlich sein.

Source: Kirchenbuch für Evangelisch-Lutherische Gemeinden #49

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Author: St. Ambrose

Ambrose (b. Treves, Germany, 340; d. Milan, Italy, 397), one of the great Latin church fathers, is remembered best for his preaching, his struggle against the Arian heresy, and his introduction of metrical and antiphonal singing into the Western church. Ambrose was trained in legal studies and distinguished himself in a civic career, becoming a consul in Northern Italy. When the bishop of Milan, an Arian, died in 374, the people demanded that Ambrose, who was not ordained or even baptized, become the bishop. He was promptly baptized and ordained, and he remained bishop of Milan until his death. Ambrose successfully resisted the Arian heresy and the attempts of the Roman emperors to dominate the church. His most famous convert and disciple w… Go to person page >

Translator: Johann Franck

Johann Franck (b. Guben, Brandenburg, Germany, 1618; d. Guben, 1677) was a law student at the University of Köningsberg and practiced law during the Thirty Years' War. He held several positions in civil service, including councillor and mayor of Guben. A significant poet, second only to Paul Gerhardt in his day, Franck wrote some 110 hymns, many of which were published by his friend Johann Crüger in various editions of the Praxis Pietatis melica. All were included in the first part of Franck’s Teutsche Gedichte bestehend im geistliche Sion (1672). Bert Polman… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Komm, Heiden Heiland, Lösegeld
Latin Title:	Veni, Redemptor gentium
Translator:	Johann Franck
Author:	St. Ambrose
Language:	German
Copyright:	Public Domain