Scripture Verse

I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star. Revelation 22:16

Introduction

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Philipp Nicolai (1556–1608)

Words: Phi­lipp Ni­co­lai, 1597 (Wie schön leuch­tet der Mor­gen­stern). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­the­rine Wink­worth, Cho­rale Book for Eng­land, 1863. Ni­co­lai was the pas­tor in Un­na, Ger­ma­ny, when the bu­bo­nic plague was ter­ror­iz­ing Eur­ope. Af­ter see­ing 30 graves dug in a sin­gle day, he felt com­pelled to write these words. They first ap­peared in his Freu­den­spie­gel des ewig­en Le­bens (Joy­ous Mir­ror of Eter­nal Life), 1599.

Music: Phi­lipp Ni­co­lai, 1599. Har­mo­ny by Jo­hann S. Bach, cir­ca 1731 (🔊 pdf nwc). The me­lo­dy is said to be from an old­er tune from Stras­bourg, cir­ca 1538.

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Johann S. Bach (1685–1750)

Lyrics

O morn­ing star, how fair and bright!
Thou beam­est forth in truth and light,
O So­ve­reign meek and low­ly!
Thou root of Jes­se, Da­vid’s Son,
My Lord and Mas­ter, Thou hast won
My heart to serve Thee sole­ly!
Thou art ho­ly,
Fair and glo­ri­ous, all vic­to­ri­ous, rich in bless­ing
Rule and might over all pos­sess­ing.

Thou hea­ven­ly bright­ness! Light di­vine!
O deep with­in my heart now shine,
And make Thee there an al­tar!
Fill me with joy and strength to be
Thy mem­ber, ev­er, joined to Thee
In love that can­not fal­ter;
Toward Thee long­ing
Doth pos­sess me; turn and bless me;
Here in sad­ness
Eye and heart long for Thy glad­ness!