Read Ebook: Paul Gerhardt's Spiritual Songs Translated by John Kelly by Gerhardt Paul Kelly John Translator

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Ebook has 375 lines and 30250 words, and 8 pages

cavil. Let derision now employ them, Christ e'en here Will appear And 'fore all destroy them.

True believers shrinking never, Where they dwell Should reveal Their true colours ever. When approaching death would scare them, Still should they Patient stay And with courage bear them.

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 heav'nly glory.

There I'll reap enduring pleasure, After woe Here below Suffer'd in large measure. Lasting good we find here never, All the earth Deemeth worth Vanisheth for ever.

What is all this life possesseth? But a hand Fall of sand That the heart distresseth. Noble gifts that pall me never, Christ so free There gives me To enjoy for ever.

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!

CHRISTIAN DEVOTION TO GOD'S WILL.

I into God's own heart and mind My heart and mind deliver, What evil seems, a gain I find, E'en death is life for ever. I am His son, Who spread the throne Of heaven high above me. Tho' I bend low Beneath His blow, Yet still His heart doth love me.

He ne'er can prove untrue to me, My Father aye must love me, And tho' He cast me in the sea, He only thus would prove me; In what He good Doth count, He would My heart establish ever. And if I stand, His mighty hand Will raise me, and deliver.

Vain had my own pow'r ever been, To have adorn'd or made me; In soul and body God is seen, He form'd and He array'd me, Plac'd mind and wit On the soul's seat, And flesh and bones did give me. Who thus so free Supplieth me Can ne'er mean to deceive me.

Say, where a place to lay my head, On earth had I attain?d? Long since had I been cold and dead Had God not me sustain?d With His strong arm, That ever warm, And glad and healthy maketh. Whom He gives joy May praise employ, What He leaves, falls and breaketh.

Wisdom and understanding true In Him are ever dwelling; Time, place, to leave undone or do, He knoweth, never failing. He ever knows When joys, when woes, Are best for those He loveth. What He doth here-- Tho' it appear Ill--to be good aye proveth.

Thou think'st indeed, if thou hast not What flesh and blood is yearning To have, that trial mars thy lot, Thy light to darkness turning. Of toil and care Thou hast large share, Ere thou thy wish attainest, And dost not see Whatever thee Befals, thereby thou gainest.

In truth, He who created thee, His glory in thee showing, Hath long ago in His decree Determin'd--all foreknowing-- What good for thee And thine will be, In faithfulness he'll give it. Curb thou thy will, Wait! be thou still, To His good pleasure leave it.

Whate'er to send, seems good to God, 'Twill be at last refreshing, Altho' thou call'st it cross and load 'Tis fraught with richest blessing. Wait patiently, His grace to thee He'll speedily discover. All grief and fear Shall disappear Like mist the hills spread over.

The field, unless the storm rage high, Its ripe fruits yieldeth never, So men were ruin'd utterly If all were prosp'rous ever. Though health it gives, And thus relieves, The bitter aloe paineth; So must the heart With anguish smart, Ere it to health attaineth.

My God! my God! into Thy hand I joyfully now yield me, Keep me, a stranger in the land, E'en to the end, Lord! shield me. Deal with me now As well dost know, That I may profit by it; Then more and more Thy glorious pow'r, Lord! show, and magnify it.

Wilt cause Thy sun on me to shine, With pleasure, Lord, I'll share it; Should trial or mischance be mine, Then patiently I'll bear it. Of life the door Should it before Me open here stand ever, Where Thou lead'st me, I'll joyfully Go with Thee, shrinking never.

Should I along the path of death, Through the dark vale be treading, 'Tis well, 'tis the appointed path, E'en there Thine eyes are leading. My Shepherd! Thou Art all below To such an issue bringing, That I to Thee, Eternally, Shall songs of praise be singing.

Commit whatever grieves thee At heart, and all thy ways, To Him who never leaves thee, On whom creation stays. Who freest courses maketh For clouds, and air, and wind, And care who ever taketh A path for thee to find.

Thy grace that ever floweth, O Father! what is good, Or evil, ever knoweth, To mortal flesh and blood. What to Thine eye all-seeing, And to Thy counsel wise Seems good, doth into being, O mighty Prince, arise!

For means it fails Thee never, Thou always find'st a way, Thy doing's blessing ever, Thy path like brightest day. Thy work can no one hinder, Thy labour cannot rest, If Thou design'st Thy tender Children should be bless'd.

Though all the powers of evil Should rise up to resist, Without a doubt or cavil God never will desist; His undertakings ever At length He carries through; What He designs He never Can fail at all to do.

Hope on, thou heart, grief-riven, Hope, and courageous be, Where anguish thee hath driven, Thou shalt deliv'rance see. God, from thy pit of sadness Shall raise thee graciously; Wait, and the sun of gladness Thine eyes shall early see.

Up! up! to pain and anguish A long good night now say; Drive all that makes thee languish In grief and woe away. Thine 'tis not to endeavour The ruler's part to play, God sits as ruler ever, Guides all things well each day.

Let Him alone--and tarry He is a Prince all wise, He shall Himself so carry, 'Twill strange seem in thine eyes, When He as Him beseemeth, In wonderful decree, Shall as Himself good deemeth, O'errule what grieveth thee.

He may awhile still staying His comforts keep from thee, And on His part delaying, Seem to have utterly Forgotten and forsaken And put thee out of mind, Though thou'rt by grief o'ertaken, No time for thee to find.

But if thou never shrinkest, And true dost still remain, He'll come when least thou thinkest, And set thee free again, Thee from the load deliver, That burdeneth thy heart, That thou hast carried never For any evil part.

Hail! child of faith, who gainest The victory alway, Who honour's crown obtainest, That never fades away. God in thy hand will give thee, One day, the glorious palm; Who ne'er in grief did leave thee, To Him thou'lt sing thy psalm.

SONG OF CONSOLATION.

Thou must not altogether be O'ercome by sad vexation, God soon will cause to shine on thee The light of consolation. In patience wait, and be thou still, And let the Lord do what He will, He never can do evil.

Is this the first time we have known And tasted sore affliction? What have we had but grief alone On earth, and sore dejection? We've had an ample share of grief, Yet God hath sometimes sent relief, A respite brief of gladness.

It is our nature's evil mood That when in joys we're living, We then forsake our highest good, Ourselves to license giving. We earthly are, and deem more worth The things and pleasures of the earth, Than all that dwells in heaven.

God therefore all our joys doth blight, Lets trials overtake us, Takes that wherein our hearts delight, Look up to Him to make us, That to His goodness and His pow'r, That we've neglected heretofore, We may return as children.

When we return to Him again He graciously receives us, To joy He turns our every pain, To laughter turns what grieves us; To Him it is a simple art, He soon doth help to him impart Whom He with love embraceth.

Afflicted band! oh, fall ye now With contrite hearts before Him, Tell Him that ye in homage bow To His great name; implore Him In grace your sins to take away, The load He on your backs did lay To bear, your wounds to bind up.

Grace always before right must go, And wrath to love yield ever; His merest mercy, when we low Are lying, must deliver. His hand it is upholds us all, If we let go, then break and fall Must all our work to pieces.

On God's love must thou ever stay, Nor let aught overthrow thee, E'en when the heav'ns shall pass away And earth shall crash below thee: God promiseth His grace to thee, His word is clear, who fearlessly Trusts it, is ne'er deceiv?d.

Seems help impossible to thee? This should'st thou know however, God by our narrow thoughts can be Hemm'd and confin?d never, This ne'er to us alloweth He; He everywhere,--His arm is free,-- Doth more than we can fathom.

What is His wide dominion fair? 'Tis full of varied wonder; He helpeth us when dark despair We helplessly sink under, To His great name this is the praise, If thou wilt see His holy place, Thou must ascribe for ever.

THE 13TH PSALM OF DAVID.

How long, Lord, in forgetfulness And darkness wilt Thou leave me? How long will sorrow on me press And deep heart-anguish grieve me? Wilt Thou Thy face, Lord, utterly Turn from me? wilt ne'er look on me In grace and in compassion?

How long shall I, thy stricken child, Bereft of soul-rest languish? How long shall storm and wind so wild, Fill heart with fear and anguish? How long shall my proud enemy, Who only meaneth ill to me, Exult o'er me in triumph?

Ah! look on me, my Shield and Lord! Down from Thy holy heaven, And hear now my complaining word, My pray'r from heart grief-riven. Give to mine eyes, Lord, pow'r and might, And do not let death's gloomy night So speedily o'ertake me.

For then, Lord, ev'ry enemy Would never cease to glory, And were I prostrate utterly, Would ever triumph o'er me. "There lieth he," they'd cry in joy, "Who caus'd us evermore annoy, He's prostrate and ne'er riseth."

I know them, and I know fall well The wickedness they're planning, Their hearts with ev'ry evil swell, No good them e'er restraining. But Thou, the faithful One, Lord, art, And those who choose Thee for their part, Thou nevermore forsakest.

My soul doth calmly trust in Thee, Thou true to me remainest, Of malice and of subtlety The course, with pow'r restrainest. This makes my heart with joy o'erflow, That willingly dost Thou bestow Salvation on the trusting.

O Lord! for aye I'll trust in Thee, Thou'rt my sole joy for ever; Thou doest well, protectest me, From sorrow dost deliver. And therefore I my whole life long, Will sing Thee oft a gladsome song Of praise and of thanksgiving.

Songs of Praise and Thanksgiving.

IN GRATEFUL SONGS.

In grateful songs your voices raise, All people here below, To Him whom angels ever praise, In heav'n His glory show.

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