Scripture Verse

This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17

Introduction

Words: John H. An­ke­tell, writ­ten in Aus­tin, Min­ne­so­ta, 1878. Pub­lished in Gos­pel and Epis­tle Hymns for the Chris­tian Year (New York: Church Re­cord Com­pa­ny, 1889), num­ber 9.

Music: Gott sei dank, Neu­es geist­reich­es Ge­sang­buch, by Jo­hann A. Frey­ling­hau­sen (Hal­le, Ger­ma­ny: 1704) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
Johann A. Freylinghausen
(1670–1739)

Lyrics

Jesu! Our eter­nal king!
Thy Epi­ph­any we sing,
Manifested by Thy grace
To our lost and fall­en race.

O’er Thy cra­dle shone a star,
Guiding pil­grims from afar,
Bearing to their mak­er’s feet
Gold and myrrh and in­cense sweet.

In fair Jor­dan’s crys­tal wave
Thou wast merg­ed our souls to save;
To Thee came the heav’n­ly Dove,
With the Fa­ther’s voice of love.

At the feast in Ga­li­lee
Wondering guests Thy glo­ry see;
Water owns Thy pow­er di­vine,
Changing into rud­dy wine.

Jesu! Lord of life di­vine!
Let Thy star up­on us shine,
Wash us with Thy sav­ing blood,
Be Thy wine our sacr­ed food.

Till, up­borne in se­raph’s wing,
Heaven’s Epi­ph­any we sing,
Praising with the an­gel host,
Father, Son and Ho­ly Ghost.