Blossom As a Rose Shall Here

Above:  St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, December 16, 2012

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = Hymnal for Church and Home, Third Edition (1938), American Evangelical Lutheran Church and United Evangelical Lutheran Church, denominations with Danish heritage

Original Danish words by Nikolai Grundtvig (1783-1872)

English Translation by S. D. Rodholm (1877-1951)

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1.  Blossom as a rose shall here

All the desert places,

Blossom when the golden year

Shines on sadden’d faces.

Glory crowns proud Lebanon,

Carmel’s height has splendor won,

Flowers bloom in Sharon.

2.  Sight is given to the blind

And their eyes shall glisten;

Ev’ry mute his voice shall find,

All the deaf shall listen;

Like the hart the lame shall leap,

Zion never more shall weep,

Peace reign forever.

3.  Thus Isaiah prophesied

In the days of sadness.

Ages passed, then far and wide

Spread the news of gladness:

Christ is here, with us He stands,

Changing with His loving hand

Desert wastes to Eden.

4.  Hail our King at God’s right hand,

Jesus and His Spirit

Lead us to the promised land

We by faith inherit.

And though death by drawing near,

Words of life the deaf shall hear;

Mutes shall sing His praises.