Scripture Verse

Thou hast put gladness in my heart. Psalm 4:7

Introduction

portrait
Paul Gerhardt (1607–1676)

Words: Paul Ger­hardt, in Prax­is Pie­ta­tis Me­li­ca, by Jo­hann Crü­ger, 3rd edi­tion, 1648 (O du al­ler­süss­te Freude). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by John Chris­tian Ja­co­bi, cir­ca 1725. Adapt­ed by Sam­uel Long­fel­low, in the Uni­ta­ri­an Book of Hymns, 1848.

Music: Beech­er John Zun­del, Chris­tian Heart Songs 1870 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Samuel Longfellow
(1819–1892)

Lyrics

Holy Spir­it, source of glad­ness,
Come with all Thy ra­di­ance bright;
O’er our wea­ri­ness and sad­ness
Breathe Thy life and shed Thy light!
Send us Thine il­lu­mi­na­tion,
Banish all our fears at length;
Rest up­on this con­gre­ga­tion,
Spirit of un­fail­ing strength.

Let that love which knows no mea­sure,
Now in quick­en­ing show­ers des­cend,
Bringing us the rich­est trea­sures
Man can wish or God can send;
Hear our ear­nest sup­pli­ca­tion,
Every strug­gling heart re­lease;
Rest up­on this con­gre­ga­tion,
Spirit of un­trou­bled peace!