My God, behold me lying

Representative Text

My God, behold me lying
Before Thee in the dust;
Where are my hopes undying?
Where is my joyous trust?
Bright hours I spend gladhearted
Ere of Thy light bereft;
Ah, all hath now departed,
My pain alone is left.

I see the threatening danger,
And shrink in sore alarm,
As were I yet a stranger
To Thy protecting arm
As though the woes that grieve me
To Thee were all unknown;
Nor Thou wouldst then relieve me
When other aid is gone.

O Father, look upon me,
So tried within, without;
With pitying grace look on me,
Forgive my faithless doubt;
My heart for grief doth languish,
Thou seest it, my God!
O soothe my conscience' anguish,
Lift off my sorrows' load.

I know Thy thoughts are ever
Of peace and love towards me,
Thy purpose changes never,
Could I but build on Thee:
That Thou fulfillest surely
Thy promises, dear Lord,
Here I tall stand securely,
My life is in Thy Word.

Then let thy faith be stronger,
My soul, shake off thy fears;
Thou soon shalt weep no longer
Though bitter now thy tears;
Thy Saviour's love hath found thee,
He comes, He comes at last;
His light is breaking round thee,
The clouds and storms are past!



Source: Chorale Book for England, The #108

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 >

Author: Drewes

Dreves, Johann Friedrich Ludwig, son of F. C. Dreves, burgomaster of Horn, in the Principality of Lippe-Detmold, was born at Horn, Nov. 17, 1762. After the completion of his studies at the University of Marburg he was for some time conrector of the school at Detmold. In 1790 he became third pastor of the Reformed Church at Detmold, and after being pastor at Hillentrup from June 28 to Oct. 25, 1795, returned to Detmold as second pastor. He remained in Detmold till 1820, when he again became pastor at Hillentrup, and died there Nov. 30, 1834. (MS. from Pastor A. Koppen, Detmold.) His hymn:— Hier lieg ich, Herr! im Staube. Trust in God. Was written at Detmold after the death, on Nov. 14. and before the burial, Nov. 17, 1798, of his firs… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: My God, behold me lying
German Title: Hier lieg' ich, Herr, im Staube
Author: Drewes (1797)
Translator: Catherine Winkworth
Language: English
Publication Date: 1863
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

PASSION CHORALE (Hassler)

The tune HERZLICH TUT MICH VERLANGEN has been associated with Gerhardt's text ["O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden"] since they were first published together in 1656. The tune's first association with a sacred text was its attachment in 1913 [sic: should read 1613] to Christoph Knoll's funeral text "Herzl…

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Chorale Book for England, The #108

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The Bach Chorale Book #65

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