1 O, blessed Sun, whose splendor Dispels the shades of night; O, Jesus, my Defender, My soul’s supreme delight; All day I hear resounding A voice with silver tone, Which speaks of grace abounding Through God’s eternal Son! 2 A deep and heav’nly feeling Oft seizes on my breast; Ah, here is balm for healing; Here only is true rest! Though fortune should bereave me Of all that I possess, If Christ His love still leave me, I freely give the rest. 3 To win this precious treasure And matchless pearl I would Give honor, wealth, and pleasure, Yea, ev’ry earthly good; I gladly would surrender The dearest thing which might Obscure my Sun’s bright splendor, And rob me of His light. 4 I know no life divided, O Lord of Life, from Thee; In Thee is life provided For all mankind and me; I know no death, O Jesus, Because I live in Thee; Thy death it is which frees us From death eternally. 5 I fear no tribulation, Since, whatsoe’er it be, Can make no separation, Between my Lord and me; If Thou, my God and teacher, Vouchsafe to be my own, Though poor, I shall be richer Than monarch on his throne. 6 If, while on earth I wander, My heart is light and blest, Ah! what shall I be yonder, In perfect peace and rest? O, blessed thought! In dying We go to meet the Lord, Where there shall be no sighing, A kingdom our reward. 7 Lord, with this truth impress me And write it on my heart, To comfort, cheer and bless me, That Thou my Saviour art; Without Thy love to guide me, I should be wholly lost; The floods would quickly hide me, On life’s wide ocean tossed. 8 Thy love it was which sought me; Thou wast unsought by me. And to the haven brought me, Where I would gladly be; The things which once distressed me My heart no longer move, Since this sweet truth impressed me That I possess Thy love.
Source: Zion's Harp: a collection of hymns and songs for the Apostolic Christian Church of America #178
Spitta, Carl Johann Philipp, D.D., was born Aug. 1, 1801, at Hannover, where his father, Lebrecht Wilhelm Gottfried Spitta, was then living, as bookkeeper and teacher of the French language. In his eleventh year Spitta fell into a severe illness, which lasted for four years, and so threw him back that his mother (the father died in 1805) abandoned the idea of a professional career, and apprenticed him to a watchmaker. This occupation did not prove at all congenial to him, but he would not confess his dislike, and his family were ignorant of it till an old friend, who was trying to comfort him after the death of a younger brother, discovered his true feelings. The younger brother had been preparing for ordination, and so Carl was now invited… Go to person page >
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