1. Thou fairest Child divine,
In yonder manger laid,
In whom is God Himself well pleased,
By whom all things were made,
On me art Thou bestowed,
How can such wonders be!
The dearest that the Father hath
He gives me here in Thee!
2. I was a foe to God,
I fought in Satan’s host,
I trifled all His grace away,
Alas! my soul was lost.
Yet God forgives my sin,
His heart, with pity moved,
He gives me, heavenly Child, in Thee;
Lo! thus our God hath loved!
3. Once blind with sin and self,
Along the treacherous way,
That ends in ruin at the last,
I hastened far astray;
Then God sent down His Son,
For with a love most deep,
Most undeserved, His heart still yearned
O’er me, poor wandering sheep!
4. God with His life of love
To me was far and strange,
My heart clung only to the world
Of sight and sense and change;
In Thee, Immanuel,
Are God and man made one;
In Thee my heart hath peace with God,
And union in the Son.
5. Oh ponder this, my soul,
Our God hath loved us thus,
That e’en His only dearest Son
He freely giveth us.
Thou precious gift of God,
The pledge and bond of love,
With thankful heart I kneel to take
This treasure from above.
6. I kneel beside Thy couch,
I press Thee to my heart,
For Thee I gladly all forsake
And from the creature part;
Thou priceless Pearl! lo, He
By whom Thou’rt loved and known,
Will give Himself and all He hath
To win Thee for His own.
7. Oh, come, Thou blessèd Child,
Thou Savior of my soul,
For ever bound to Thee, my name
Among Thy host enroll.
O deign to take my heart,
And let Thy heart be mine,
That all my love flow out to Thee,
And lose itself in mine.
Source: The Cyber Hymnal #6554
Tersteegen, Gerhard, a pious and useful mystic of the eighteenth century, was born at Mörs, Germany, November 25, 1697. He was carefully educated in his childhood, and then apprenticed (1715) to his older brother, a shopkeeper. He was religiously inclined from his youth, and upon coming of age he secured a humble cottage near Mühlheim, where he led a life of seclusion and self-denial for many years. At about thirty years of age he began to exhort and preach in private and public gatherings. His influence became very great, such was his reputation for piety and his success in talking, preaching, and writing concerning spiritual religion. He wrote one hundred and eleven hymns, most of which appeared in his Spiritual Flower Garden (1731). He… Go to person page >
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 >
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