1 O Light of Gentile nations,
O Savior from above,
drawn by your Spirit's leading,
we come with joy and love
into your holy temple
and wait with rev'rent mind
as Simeon once had waited
his God and Lord to find.
2 Dear Lord, your servants meet you
in ev'ry holy place
where you, yourself have promised
that we should see your face.
Today you still allow us
who gather round you here
in arms of faith to hold you
as did that aged seer.
3 Lord, when life's troubles touch us,
you seem to hide your face,
and through our tears we often
can scarcely sense your grace.
Then be our joy and brightness,
our cheer in pain and loss,
our sun in darkest terror,
the glory round our cross.
4 Let us, O Lord, be faithful
like Simeon to the end
so that his prayer exultant
may from our hearts ascend:
"O Lord, now let your servant
depart in peace, I pray,
since I have seen my Savior
and here beheld his day."
Source: Christian Worship: Hymnal #497
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 >
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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