Scripture Verse

I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star. Revelation 22:16

Introduction

portrait
Catherine Winkworth
(1827–1878)

Words: Jo­hann A. Schle­gel, 1765 (Wie herr­lich strahlt der Mor­gen­stern). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­the­rine Wink­worth, Chor­ale Book for Eng­land (Lon­don: Long­man, Green, Long­man & Ro­berts, 1863), num­ber 36.

Music: Wie schön leuch­tet Phi­lipp Ni­co­lai, 1599 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Philipp Nicolai (1556–1608)

Lyrics

How bright­ly beams the Morn­ing Star!
What sud­den ra­di­ance from afar
Doth glad us with its shin­ing,
Brightness of God that breaks our night
And fills the dark­ened souls with light
Who long for truth were pin­ing!
Thy Word, Je­su, in­ly feeds us,
Rightly leads us, life be­stow­ing;
Praise, oh praise such love o’er­flow­ing.

Thou here my com­fort, there my crown,
Thou King of Heav’n, who cam­est down
To dwell as man be­side me;
My heart doth praise Thee o’er and o’er,
If Thou art mine I ask no more,
Be wealth or fame de­nied me;
Thee I seek now; none who proves Thee,
None who loves Thee finds Thee fail him;
Lord of life, Thy pow­ers avail him!

Through Thee alone can I be blest,
Then deep be on my heart im­pressed
The love that Thou hast borne me;
So make it rea­dy to ful­fill
With burn­ing zeal Thy ho­ly will,
Though men may vex or scorn me;
Savior, let me ne­ver lose Thee,
For I choose Thee, thirst to know Thee;
All I am and have I owe Thee!

O God, our Fa­ther far ab­ove,
Thee too I praise for all the love
Thou in Thy Son dost give me!
In Him am I made one with Thee,
My bro­ther and my friend is He;
Shall aught af­fright or grieve me?
He is great­est, best, and high­est,
Ever nigh­est to the weak­est;
Fear no foes, if Him thou seek­est!

O praise to Him who came to save,
Who con­quered death and burst the grave;
Each day new praise re­sound­eth
To Him the Lamb who once was slain,
The Friend whom none shall trust in vain,
Whose grace for aye abound­eth;
Sing, ye hea­vens, tell the sto­ry
Of His glo­ry, till His prais­es
Flood with light earth’s dark­est places.