Scripture Verse

Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein. Nehemiah 9:6

Introduction

portrait
Catherine Winkworth
(1827–1878)

Words: Hein­rich Al­bert, Ar­ien et­liche theils geist­liche, theils welt­liche zur An­dacht, gut­en Sit­ten, Keusch­er Lie­be und Ehr­en­lust dien­en­de Lied­er, part 5, 1643, num­ber 459 (Gott des Him­mels und Der Er­den). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­the­rine Wink­worth, Ly­ra Ger­ma­ni­ca (Lon­don & New York: George Newnes & Charles Scrib­ner’s Sons, 1855), pag­es 162–64.

Music: Gott des Him­mels Hein­rich Al­bert, 1643 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Al­bert (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

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.

God, I thank Thee from my heart,
That through all the live­long night,
Thou hast kept me safe apart
From all dan­ger, pain, af­fright,
And the cun­ning of my foe
Hath not wrought my ov­er­throw.

Let the night of sin de­part.
As this earth­ly night hath fled;
Jesus, take me to Thy heart,
In the blood that Thou hast shed
Is my help and hope alone,
For the ev­il I have done.

Help me as each morn shall break,
In the Spir­it to arise,
Let my soul from sin awake,
That when o’er the ag­ed skies
Shall the morn of Doom ap­pear,
I may see it free from fear.

Ever lead me, ev­er guide
All my wan­der­ings by Thy Word;
As Thou hast been, still abide,
My de­fense, my re­fuge, Lord.
Never safe ex­cept with Thee,
Ever Thou my guard­ian be!

Mighty God, I now com­mend
Soul and body un­to Thee,
All the pow­ers that Thou dost lend,
By Thy hand di­rect­ed be;
Thou my boast, my strength di­vine,
Keep me with Thee, I am Thine.

Let Thine an­gel guard my soul
From the Ev­il One’s dark pow­er;
All his thou­sand wiles con­trol,
Warning, guid­ing me each hour,
Till my fi­nal rest be come,
And Thine an­gel bear me home.