Rouse thyself, my soul, and gather

Representative Text

I. Rouse thy self, my Soul, and gather
All thy Senses from abroad,
To adore thy Heav'nly Father,
And the Goodness of thy God,
For preserving Thee this Day,
Chasing Satan's Host away,
That their Malice and Delusion
Cou'd not put Thee to Confusion.

II. Blessed be thy gracious Favour,
Father of Eternity!
That thou'st helpt me in my Labour,
And my great Necessity;
That in all my Care and Grief
Thou hast sent me sure Relief,
And remov'd, on all Occasion,
What might frustrate my Salvation.

III. None of all the skill'd in Numbers,
Nor the Sons of Eloquence
Can express or count the Wonders
Of thy gracious providence.
O, thy Mercies are too great
For us Mortals to repeat.
Let us then adore in Spirit
What's above our Sense and Merit.

IV. Now this tiresome Day is finish'd,
Gloomy Night draws on apace;
Chearful Day Light is diminish'd,
And the sun has hid his Face.
Lord, endow me with thy Love,
That the Instances I prove
Of thy Care and thy Protection
work in me a pure Subjection.

V. Pardon, Lord, each sad Transgression,
Whether open or unknown,
With the Weight of whose Oppression
I all Night in secret moan;
So that Satan's fiery Dart
Often pierces through my Heart,
And disturbs the blest Intention
Of thy Grace and thy Redemption.

VI. Tho' I've stray'd and thee denied;
As I willingly return,
For his Sake who for me died,
Let thy Wrath no longer burn;
I confess the Guilt of Sin;
But thy Grace can make me clean,
Which exceeds, beyond Expression,
All the Poison of Transgression.

VII. Author of illumination,
Light of Light, eternal Word,
Soul and Body's Preservation
I commit to thee, O Lord:
My Redeemer, dwell in me,
That I sleep and wake with Thee,
And enjoy thy Consolation
In the Night of Perturbation.

VIII. Guard me from the Snares of Satan,
And the Pow'r of Sin and Hell;
Which raise Dreams I never thought on,
And abominate to tell.
Let me never lose the Sight
Of thy good and gracious Light.
Having thee, I can be quiet
'Midst the Furies-Storm and Riot.

IX. When I close mine Eyes to slumber,
And my Senses fall asleep,
Let my Heart, awake, the Number
Of thy mercies tell and keep.
Fill me with thy sacred Love,
That I dream of what's above,
And keep close to Thee my Saviour
Even in my Nights Behaviour.

X. Grant, that under thy Protection,
I enjoy a quiet Rest;
Guard me from Night-Sin's Infection;
Number me among the Blest;
Soul and Body, Heart and Mind
Keep from harm of ev'ry Kind
Friends and Foes and each Relation
Visit with thy new Creation.

XI. Let no frightful Rumour wake me
From within or from abroad;
Let no Sickness overtake me;
Lord, be thou my sure Abode.
Fire and Water, pestilence,
Death that's sudden off me fence,
Lest I dye in my Transgression,
And fall short of thy Possession.

XII. Father, hear the Supplication
Of thy poor unworthy Child.
JESU! through thy Meditation,
Make me truly reconcil'd.
Holy Ghost, of equal Praise,
I depend upon thy Grace.
Sacred Three! be pleas'd to say then:
Even so it shall be. AMEN!

Source: Psalmodia Germanica: or, The German Psalmody: translated from the high Dutch together with their proper tunes and thorough bass (2nd ed., corr. and enl.) #176

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Translator: Johann Christian Jacobi

Jacobi, John Christian, a native of Germany, was born in 1670, and appointed Keeper of the Royal German Chapel, St. James's Palace, London, about 1708. He held that post for 42 years, and died Dec. 14, 1750. He was buried in the Church of St. Paul's, Covent Garden. His publications included :— (1) A Collection of Divine Hymns, Translated from the High Dutch. Together with their Proper Tunes and Thorough Bass. London: Printed and Sold by J. Young, in St. Paul’s Churchyard; . . . 1720. This edition contains 15 hymns. Two years later this collection, with a few changes in the text and much enlarged, was republished as (2) Psalmodia Germanica; or a Specimen of Divine Hymns. Translated from the High Dutch. Together with their Proper Tunes… Go to person page >

Author: Johann 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 >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Rouse thyself, my soul, and gather
Original Language:	German
Author:	Johann Rist
Translator:	Johann Christian Jacobi
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Tune

WERDE MUNTER

JESU JOY is a form of the tune WERDE MUNTER, MEIN GEMUETE by Johann Schop (b. Hamburg [?], Germany, c. 1595; d. Hamburg, 1667). In 1614 Schop was appointed court musician in the Hofkapelle at Wolfenbüttel. A virtuoso violinist, he also played the lute, cornetto, and trombone. He became a musician f…

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