Scripture Verse

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

Introduction

portrait
Philipp Nicolai (1556–1608)

Words: Phi­lipp Ni­co­lai, 1597 (Wie schön leuch­tet der Mor­gen­stern). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Will­iam Mer­cer (1811–1873).

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

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

Lyrics

How bright ap­pears the morn­ing star,
With mer­cy beam­ing from afar!
The host of Heav’n re­joic­es!
O right­eous Branch! O Jes­se’s Rod!
Thou Son of Man, and Son of God!
We too will lift our voic­es
Jesus! Je­sus! Ho­ly, ho­ly! yet most low­ly!
Draw Thou near us:
Great Em­ma­nu­el! stoop and hear us!

Rejoice, ye heav’ns, thou earth, re­ply!
With praise, ye sin­ners, fill the sky!
For this His in­car­na­tion!
Incarnate God, put forth Thy pow­er,
Ride on, ride on, great Con­quer­or,
Till all know Thy sal­va­tion.
Amen, amen! Al­le­lu­ia, al­le­lu­ia!
Praise be giv­en
Evermore, by earth and Hea­ven.