1 Soul, adorn yourself with gladness,
leave the gloomy haunts of sadness,
come into the daylight's splendor,
there with joy your praises render.
Bless the One whose grace unbounded
this amazing banquet founded;
he, though heav'nly, high, and holy,
deigns to dwell with you most lowly.
2 Hasten as a bride to meet him,
eagerly and gladly greet him.
There he stands already knocking;
quickly, now, your gate unlocking,
open wide the fast-closed portal,
saying to the Lord immortal:
"Come, and leave your loved one never;
dwell within my heart forever."
3 Now in faith I humbly ponder
over this surpassing wonder
that the bread of life is boundless
though the souls it feeds are countless;
with the choicest wine of heaven
Christ's own blood to us is given.
Oh, most glorious consolation,
pledge and seal of my salvation.
4 Jesus, source of lasting pleasure,
truest friend and dearest treasure,
peace beyond all understanding,
joy into all life expanding:
humbly now, I bow before you,
love incarnate, I adore you;
worthily let me receive you,
and, so favored, never leave you.
Source: Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #421
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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