O Living Bread from heaven

Representative Text

1 O living bread from heaven,
How you have fed your guest!
The gifts you now have given
Have filled my heart with rest.
O wondrous food of blessing,
O cup that heals our woes,
My heart, this gift possessing,
In thankful song o'erflows!

2 My Lord, you here have led me
Within your holiest place,
And here yourself have fed me
With treasures of your grace;
And you have freely given
What earth could never buy,
The bread of life from heaven,
That now I shall not die.

3 You gave me all I wanted,
That food can death destroy;
And you have freely granted
The cup of endless joy.
Ah, Lord, I do not merit
The favor you have shown,
And all my soul and spirit
Bow down before your throne.

4 Lord, grant me that, thus strengthened
With heav'nly food, while here
My course on earth is lengthened,
To serve you, Lord most dear.
And when you call my spirit
To leave this world below,
I enter, through your merit,
Where joys unmingled flow.


Source: One in Faith #937

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: Johann von Rist

Rist, Johann, son of Kaspar Rist, pastor at Ottensen, near Hamburg, was born at Ottensen, March 8, 1607, and from his birth was dedicated to the ministry. After passing through the Johanneum at Hamburg and the Gymnasium Illustre at Bremen, he matriculated, in his 21st year, at the University of Rinteln, and there, under Josua Stegmann (q. v.), he received an impulse to hymn-writing. On leaving Rinteln he acted as tutor to the sons of a Hamburg merchant, accompanying them to the University of Rostock, where he himself studied Hebrew, Mathematics and also Medicine. During his residence at Rostock the terrors, of the Thirty Years War almost emptied the University, and Rist himself also lay there for weeks ill of the pestilence. After his r… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O Living Bread from heaven, How hast thou fed thy guest
Title: O Living Bread from heaven
German Title: Wie wohl hast du gelabet
Author: Johann von Rist (1651)
Translator: Catherine Winkworth
Meter: 7.8.7.8.7.6.7.6.7.6.7.6
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

AURELIA

Composed by Samuel S. Wesley (PHH 206), AURELIA (meaning "golden") was published as a setting for “Jerusalem the Golden” in Selection of Psalms and Hymns, which was compiled by Charles Kemble and Wesley in 1864. Though opinions vary concerning the tune's merits (Henry J. Gauntlett once condemned…

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ACH GOTT VOM HIMMELREICHE


JEG VIL MIG HERREN LOVE


Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #5057
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Instances

Instances (1 - 8 of 8)

Ambassador Hymnal #282

Text

Christian Worship (1993) #314

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Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #326

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Evangelical Lutheran Worship #542

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Lutheran Service Book #642

Text

Lutheran Worship #244

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One in Faith #937

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #5057

Include 26 pre-1979 instances
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