Why art thou cast down, my soul? O what mean thy sighs and sadness?

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Why art thou cast down, my soul? O what mean thy sighs and sadness?

Author: Benjamin Schmolck (1704); Translator: Hans Adolf Brorson (1734)
Tune: JESUS, MEINE ZUVERSICHT (Crüger)
Published in 3 hymnals

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	What Wondrous Love! (Lenten Meditations…

Representative Text

1 Why art thou cast down, my soul?
O what mean thy sighs and sadness?
Trust in Him who makes thee whole,
And thy griefs can turn to gladness,--
Often in the darkest hour
He reveals His love and power.

2 On this ground thy anchor cast;
Safe thou art, in Christ confiding;
All the griefs which here thou hast
Are but shadows unabiding.
Soon thy cross shall pass away,
Joy shall come that lasts for aye.

3 Christ's own way is always good,
Christians find this consolation:
He who bought thee with His blood,
Now stands pledged for thy salvation.
Rest upon His sacred word--
That assurance doth afford!

4 Jesus gives us joy and tears,
Blesséd be His name forever!
When thy way most dark appears,
Trust in Him, despond thou never;
Weary soul, when sore distressed,
Call on Him and be at rest.

5 Surely, narrow is the way
To the land of gladness yonder;
While on this sad earth we stay,
We must here as pilgrims wander,
Through the desert we must roam,
Till we Canaan reach, our home.

6 Upward, then, my weary soul,
Where the crown of life is given!
Pressing onward to the goal,
I shall win the bliss of heaven;
For, O Jesus, I am Thine,
Blest am I, for Thou art mine!

Source: The Lutheran Hymnary #237

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Author: Benjamin Schmolck

Schmolck, Benjamin, son of Martin Schmolck, or Schmolcke, Lutheran pastor at Brauchitschdorf (now Chrόstnik) near Liegnitz in Silesia (now Poland) was born at Brauchitschdorf, Dec. 21, 1672. He entered the Gymnasium at Lauban in 1688, and spent five years there. After his return home he preached for his father a sermon which so struck the patron of the living that he made Benjamin an allowance for three years to enable him to study theology. He matriculated, at Michaelmas, 1693, at the University of Leipzig, where he came under the influence of J. Olearius, J. B. Carpzov, and others, and throughout his life retained the character of their teaching, viz. a warm and living practical Christianity, but Churchly in tone and not Pietistic. In th… Go to person page >

Translator: Hans Adolf Brorson

(no biographical information available about Hans Adolf Brorson.) Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Why art thou cast down, my soul? O what mean thy sighs and sadness?
Original Language:	German
Author:	Benjamin Schmolck (1704)
Translator:	Hans Adolf Brorson (1734)
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Tune

JESUS, MEINE ZUVERSICHT (Crüger)

First published in Johann Crüger's Praxis Pietatis Melica (1653) without attribution, JESUS, MEINE ZUVERSICHT was credited to Crüger (PHH 42) in the 1668 edition of that hymnal. (The later isorhythmic RATISBON is related to this tune; see 34.) JESUS, MEINE ZUVERSICHT is named for its association w…

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