God who madest earth and heaven,
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Who the day and night hast given,
Sun and moon and starry host,
All things wake at thy command,
Held in being by thy hand.
2. God, I thank thee! In thy keeping
Safely have I slumbered here;
Thou hast guarded me while sleeping
From all danger, pain, and fear:
And the cunning of my foe
Hath not wrought my overthrow.
3. Let the night of sin that shrouded
All my life, with this depart;
Shine on me with beams unclouded,
Jesus! In thy loving heart
Is my help and hope alone,
For the evil I have done.
4. Help me as the morn is breaking,
In the spirit to arise,
So from careless sloth awaking,
That when o'er the aged skies
Shall the morn of Doom appear,
I may see it free from fear.
5. Lead me, and forsake me never,
Guide my wandrings by thy Word;
As thou hast been, be thou ever
My defence, my refuge, Lord.
Never safe except with thee,
Thou my faithful Guardian be.
6. O my God, I now commend me
Wholly to thy mighty hand;
All the powers that thou dost lend me
Let me use at thy command;
Thou my boast, my strength divine,
Keep me with thee, I am thine.
7. Thus afresh, with each new morning
Save me from the power of sin,
Hourly let me feel thy warning
Ruling, prompting me within,
Till my final rest be come,
And thine Angel bear me home.
Evening Hymn.
Nun sich der Tag geendet hat.
Since now the day hath reached its close,
And sun-light shines no more,
In sleep the toil-worn find repose,
And all who wept before.
2. But thou, my God, no rest doth know,
No slumber locks thy sight,
Thou hatest darkness as thy foe,
Since thou, thyself, art Light.
3. O Lord, I pray, remember me
In this beclouded night,
And grant to me most graciously
The shield of thy great might.
4. And foil thou satan's purpose fell
Through thy swift angel-arm;
Then free from care I'll rest me well
And safe from every harm.
5. I feel indeed through guilt undone,
It cries aloud to thee;
But, yet, the mercy of thy Son
Hath full atoned for me.
6. Him I present thee as my Bail,
As suppliant at thy feet;
With such Assurance I'll not fail
Before thy Judgment-seat.
7. And hereupon my eyes I close,
And fall asleep heart-glad,
My God doth watch o'er my repose,
Why should my heart be sad?
8. Depart vain thoughts and fancies, flee!
Draw not my mind abroad,
My heart, as temple, shall now be
Devoted to my God.
9. And thus I live and die to thee,
Thou Sabaoth strong, indeed!
In life and death thou helpest me
From every fear and need!
10. Should this night prove the last for me
In this sad vale of tears,
Then lead me, Lord, in heaven to thee
And thy elect compeers.
Hymns of Cross and Consolation.
Wer nur den lieben Gott laesst walten.
If thou but suffer God to guide thee,
And hope in Him through all thy ways,
He'll give thee strength whate'er betide thee,
And bear thee through the evil days.
Who trusts in God's unchanging love
Builds on the Rock that naught can move.
2. What can these anxious cares avail thee,
These never-ceasing moans and sighs?
What can it help, if thou bewail thee
O'er each dark moment as it flies?
Our cross and trials do but press
The heavier for our bitterness.
3. Only be still and wait His leisure
In cheerful hope, with heart content
To take whate'er thy Father's pleasure
And all-deserving love hath sent,
Nor doubt our inmost wants are known
To Him who chose us for His own.
4. He knows the time for joy, and truly
Will send it when He sees it meet,
When He has tried and purged thee throughly
And finds thee free from all deceit,
He comes to thee all unaware
And makes thee own His loving care.
5. Nor think amid the heat of trial
That God hath cast thee off unheard,
That he whose hopes meet no denial
Must surely be of God preferred;
Time passes and much change doth bring,
And sets a bound to everything.
6. All are alike before the Highest.
'Tis easy to our God, we know,
To raise thee up though low thou liest,
To make the rich man poor and low;
True wonders still by Him are wrought
Who setteth up and brings to naught.
7. Sing, pray, and keep His ways unswerving,
So do thine own part faithfully,
And trust His Word, though undeserving,
Thou yet shalt find it true for thee;
God never yet forsook at need
The soul that trusted Him indeed.
Warum sollt ich mich denn graemen?
Why should sorrow ever grieve me?
Christ is near,
What can here
E'er of Him deprive me?
Who can rob me of my heaven
That God's Son,
As mine own,
To my faith hath given?
2. Naked was I and unswathed
When on earth
At my birth
My first breath I breathed.
Naked hence shall I betake me,
When I go
From earth's woe,
And my breath forsake me.
3. Nought, not e'en the live I'm living,
Is mine own,
God alone
All to me is giving.
Must I then His own restore Him?
Though bereft
Of each gift,
Still shall I adore Him.
4. Though a heavy cross I'm bearing,
And my heart
Feels the smart,
Shall I be despairing?
God can help me, who doth send it,
He doth know
All my woe
And how best to end it.
5. God oft gives me days of gladness,
Shall I grieve
If He give
Seasons too of sadness?
God is good and tempers ever
Every hurt,
Me desert
Wholly can He never.
6. Though united world and devil
All their power
Can no more
Do than mock and cavil.
Let derision now employ them,
Christ e'en here
Will appear
And 'fore all destroy them.
7. True believers shrinking never,
Where they dwell
Should reveal
Their true colors ever.
When approaching death would scare them,
Still should they
Patient stay
And with courage bear them.
8. Death can never kill us even,
But relief
From all grief
To us then is given.
It doth close life's mournful story,
Make a way
That we may
Pass to heavenly glory.
9. There I'll reap enduring pleasure,
After woe
Here below
Suffer'd in large measure.
Lasting good we find here never,
All the earth
Deameth worth
Vanisheth forever.
10. What is all that life possesseth?
But a hand
Full of sand
That the heart distresseth.
Noble gifts that tire me never,
Christ so free
There gives me
To enjoy forever.
11. Shepherd! Lord! joy's fountain ever,
Thou art mine,
I am thine,
No one can us sever.
I am thine, because thou gavest
Life and blood
For my good,
By thy death me savest.
12. Thou'rt mine, for I love and own thee,
Ne'er shall I,
Light of joy,
From my heart dethrone thee.
Let me, let me soon behold thee
Face to face,
Thy embrace
May it soon enfold me.
Hilf, Helfer, hilf in Angst und Noth.
Help, helper, help in fear and need,
Have mercy, faithful God, give heed!
I know thou lov'st me still as thine,
Though 'gainst me world and hell combine.
2. I trust in thee--whom I adore;
If I have thee, what need I more?
And, my Lord Jesus, this I laud:
That thou art mine, my Saviour-God.
3. This blest assurance cheers my heart,
To bide thy time--till clouds depart;
I'll rest the while me on thee, then,
Cry: Helper, help! and say: Amen!
Christian Life.
Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir.
Lord, as thou wilt, be it with me,
No other wish I cherish,
I, living, dying, seek but thee,
O Lord, let me not perish;
Let but thy grace ne'er from me part,
Else as thou wilt, grant patient heart,
Thy will the best is ever.
2. Grant honor, truth, and self-control,
And love thy Word to ponder,
From errors false preserve my soul;
And grant, both here and yonder,
What will but tend to blessed days,
Keep far all wrong and crooked ways
From all my life and doings.
3. When once, according to thy will,
I pass the bourne of sadness,
Then let thy grace my bosom fill,
That I may go with gladness;
My body, soul, commend I thee,
O Lord, a blessed end grant me
Through Jesus Christ, yea, Amen.
Hope in Death.
Wenn mein Stuendlein vorhanden ist.
When once in turn my hour is here,
And I shall hence betake me,
Then, O Lord Jesus, keep thou near,
With help do not forsake me;
My soul then at my final end
Into thy hand I do commend:
Thou wilt, Lord, safely guard it.
2. My sins will press my heart with care,
My conscience will accuse me,
For they are many, yet despair
With doubts shall not confuse me;
I will remember, Lord, thy death,
And wounds, and words of thy last breath:
Yea, these will then sustain me.
8. Lord, of thy body I am part:
This membership doth cheer me,
'Mid woe and throes of death, my heart
Inseparate is near thee.
And though I die, I die to thee,
Eternal life hast thou for me,
Lord, by thy dying purchased.
4. Since thou art risen from the tomb,
I shall not therein languish;
Thy Ascent cheers me in the gloom,
Doth even death-fear vanquish;
For where thou art, there shall I be,
That I may ever live with thee:
Hence I depart rejoicing.
5. 'Tis well! I part, by Jesus blest;
To Him will I betake me:
Thus fall asleep and gently rest,
No mortal can awake me.
And Christ, the Lord, to whom I flee,
Will open heaven's door to me,
Lead me to life eternal.
Glad Eternity.
Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme.
Wake, awake, for night is flying,
The watchmen on the heights are crying;
Awake, Jerusalem, at last!
Midnight hears the welcome voices,
And at the thrilling cry rejoices:
Come forth, ye virgins, night is past!
The bridegroom comes, awake,
Your lamps with gladness take;
Hallelujah!
And for His marriage feast prepare,
For you must go to meet Him there.
2. Zion hears the watchmen singing,
All her heart with joy is springing,
She wakes, she rises from her gloom;
For her Lord comes down all-glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious,
Her star is risen, her light is come!
Ah come, thou blessed Lord,
O Jesus, Son of God,
Hallelujah!
We follow till the halls we see
Where thou hast bid us sup with thee.
3. Now let all the heavens adore thee,
And men and angels sing before thee,
With harp and cymbal's clearest tone;
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where we are with the choir immortal
Of angels round thy dazzling throne;
Nor eye hath seen, nor ear
Hath yet attained to hear
What there is ours,
But we rejoice and sing to thee
Our hymn of joy eternally.
Prayers before Meat.
The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord: Thou givest them their meat in
due season, Thou openest Thy liberal hand, and satisfiest the desire of
every living thing. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus, be Thou our guest,
And let all Thou giv'st us be blest. Amen.
We thank Thee, dear Son, that Thou hast again opened Thy bountiful hand
to supply our wants; grant that we may receive this food with
thanksgiving and gratitude and in Thy fear, and grant, O Lord! that
whatsoever we do, whether we eat or drink, all may be done to Thy name's
honor and glory, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.
O Lord God, heavenly Father, bless unto us these Thy gifts, which of Thy
tender kindness Thou hast bestowed upon us, through Jesus Christ, our
Lord. Amen.
Prayers after Meat.
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth
forever. He giveth food to all flesh. His mercies are new unto us every
morning, for his faithfulness eudureth unto all generations. Amen.
We give thanks to Thee, O God our Father, for all Thy benefits, through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who with Thee liveth and reigneth forever and
ever. Amen.
We return thanks unto Thee, O Lord! that Thou hast again vouchsafed to
feed these perishable bodies, and we beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst also
feed our souls with the bread of eternal life. Amen.