Scripture Verse

Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise. Luke 23:43

Introduction

portrait
Percy Dearmer
1867–1936

Words: Au­re­li­us Pru­den­ti­us, Li­ber Cath­em­er­i­non, 4th Cen­tu­ry (De­us ig­nee fons an­i­mar­um). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by Per­cy Dear­mer in The Eng­lish Hym­nal (Lon­don: Ox­ford Un­i­ver­si­ty Press, 1906), num­ber 352.

Music: Old 124th Ge­ne­van Psal­ter, 1551 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Father of spirits, whose divine control
Doth bind the soul and body into one;
Thou wilt restore this body now undone;
For once it was the mansion of a soul,
Where dwelt the glowing wisdom of Thy Son.

Thou, maker of the body, dost ordain
That this Thine image, molded by Thy will,
Our every hope in glory shall fulfill;
So, till the body Thou dost build again,
Thou wilt preserve the spirit freed from ill.

In that blest region shall this spirit dwell
Where flowers undying bloom on every side:
For lo, we trust Thy Word, O Crucified,
When in Thy triumph over death and hell,
The thief forgiven took Thee for his guide.

Our brother goeth by the shining way,
That ever to the faithful open lies:
Lord, train Thy servant now in paradise,
And bless him in his fatherland, we pray,
Till Thou shalt bid his body to arise.

or

Our sister goeth by the shining way,
That ever to the faithful open lies:
Lord, train Thy servant now in paradise,
And bless her in her fatherland, we pray,
Till Thou shalt bid her body to arise.