Above:  Pentecost Dove

Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Original Text (1591) by Bartholomaus Ringwaldt (1532-1599)

Translation #1 (1693) by Soren Jonasson

Translation #2 (1909) by Oluf Hanson Smeby (1851-1929)

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal:  A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), U.S. Norwegian Lutherans

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1.  O Holy Spirit, grant us grace

That we our Lord and Saviour

In faith and fervent love embrace,

And truly serve Him ever,

So that when death is drawing nigh,

We to His open wounds may fly,

And find in them salvation.

2.  Help us that we Thy saving word

In faithful hearts may treasure;

Let e’er that bread of life afford

New grace in richest measure;

Yea, let us die to ev’ry sin,

For heav’n create us new within,

That fruits of faith may flourish.

3.  And when our earthly race is run,

Death’s bitter hour impending,

Then may Thy work, in us begun,

Continue till life’s ending;

Until we gladly may commend

Our souls into our Savior’s hand,

To rest in peace eternal.

Above:  Dawn on River

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Henry N. Hendrickson (1869-1953)

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal:  A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), U.S. Norwegian Lutherans

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1.  Father, source of life and light,

Who has kept us through the night,

Sheltered ‘neath Thy mighty wing,

Thee our morning praise we bring.

Shine upon us from above

With the radiance of Thy love.

2.  Savior, Master, in Thy way

Guide our erring steps today;

In temptation’s trying hour

Touch us with Thy quickening pow’r.

Richest gift Thy grace can give,

Teach us, Master, how to live.

3.  Holy Spirit, ever near,

Keep our hearts from guilty fear.

Strengthen us for each our task

More than we know how to ask.

Sanctified, redeemed, and free,

Humbly let us walk with Thee.

Above:  Good Shepherd

Image in the Public Domain

Text by Carl Olof Rosenius (1816-1868)

Translated by Ernst W. Olson (1870-1958)

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal:  A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), U.S Norwegian Lutherans

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1.  With God and His mercy,

His Spirit, and word,

And loving communion at altar and board,

We meet with assurance the dawn of each day:

The Shepherd is with us,

The Shepherd is with us,

To lead and protect us, and teach us the way.

2.  In perilous times, amid tempest and night,

A band presses on through the gloom toward light;

Though humble, and meek, and disowned by the world,

They follow the Savior,

They follow the Savior,

And march on to glory, with banners unfurled.

3.  While groveling worldlings with dross are content,

And ever on sin and transgression are bent,

I follow, victorious hosts, at your word,

And march on to glory,

And march on to glory,

We march on to glory, our captain the Lord.

4.  The sign of the cross we triumphantly bear,

Though none of my kindred that emblem may wear;

I joyfully follow the champions of right,

Who march on to glory,

Who march on to glory,

Who march on to glory, with weapons of might.

5.  O Shepherd, abide with us, care for us still,

And feed us and lead us, and teach us Thy will;

And when in Thy heavenly folds we shall be,

Our thanks and our praises,

Our thanks and our praises,

Our thanks and our praises we’ll render to Thee.

Above:  Mountain Morning

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal:  A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), Norwegian-American Lutheran

Original Words by Wilhelm Andreas Wexels (1797-1866)

English Translation (1931) by Oscar R. Overby (1892-1964)

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1.  One radiant morn the mists will all surrender,

And life’s uncertain shadows pass away;

When light celestial breaks in dazzling splendor

To lead my step into eternal day.

2.  One radiant morn the mysteries I ponder,

And leave unsolved on all my quests abroad,

Shall be construed for me in fullness yonder

When I awake to sense the ways of God.

3.  One radiant morn when hearts bowed down in sorrow

Are comforted and reconciled above,

All pain and tears I here in anguish borrow

Shall be dissolved in fountain-rays of love.

4.  One radiant morn with eyes unveiled before Him,

I’ll see the One my faith and hope embrace;

Within the holy realms I’ll praise, adore Him,

And kneel to thank my Savior face to face.

5.  One radiant morn when sinless souls assemble,

Where each desire is born in purity,

No more the thought of wrong shall make me tremble,

But, ransomed, I shall live forever free.

6.  One radiant morn in halls of home supernal,

I’ll meet again the friend I here esteem,

In glory speak with him of life eternal,

And of the life that vanished like a dream.

7.  O Jesus, stir within my heart of sadness

This vision fair whene’er I grieve forlorn,

That it may turn all bitter tears to gladness,

And lead my spirit to that radiant morn.

Above:  Lake Dusk

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal: A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), Norwegian-American Lutheran

Original Text by Hans J. Himmerich (1681-1735)

Norwegian Translation by Wilhelm Andreas Wexels (1797-1866)

English Translation (1929) by Vigleik E. Boe (1872-1953)

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1.  The day is fast declining

And night is drawing near;

Thy mercy, Lord, is shining,

Dispelling all our fear.

Our sins forgive, O Father,

Protect us great and small,

Thy holy angels gather

To watch around us all.

2.  When darkness earth has blinded

And day has passed from sight,

We are, O Lord, reminded

Of death’s approaching night.

Illumine Thou our passage,

O Jesus, dearest Friend,

Send us Thy gladsome message,

Grant us a blessed end.

Above:  St. James Episcopal Church, Cedartown, Georgia

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Words (1928) by Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941)

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal:  A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), U.S. Norwegian Lutheran

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1.  Eternal God, our Father,

In Jesus’ name we gather

To praise and worship Thee.

Let hymns of adoration

And prayers of supplication

Like incense sweet arise to Thee.

2.  Thy grace in Christ confession,

We come to seek the blessing

Thy holy word imparts.

Grant us through Thy blest Spirit

In fervent love to bear it,

And keep it in believing hearts.

3.  Thy Son, our risen Savior,

Hath gained for us Thy favor,

The curse of law He bore.

In Shepherd love He sought us,

With His own blood He bought us,

To grant us life forevermore.

4.  Heirs of Thy free salvation,

May we bring consolation

To those in need and pain.

True to our Lord and Savior,

May we as Christians ever

Unspotted from the world remain.

5.  Thy word our hearts sustaineth:

Its shining light remaineth

Our guide to realms above.

6.  There we shall praise and bless Thee,

With angel hosts confess Thee,

And evermore extol Thy love.

Above:  Roses, Between 1900 and 1905

Image Publisher = Detroit Publishing Company

Image Source = Library of Congress

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-det-4a20684

Original Danish Words by Hans Adolf Brorson (1694-1764)

English Translation by Jens Christian Aaberg (1877-1970)

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal:  A Hymnal for Church, School and Home (1932), Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church

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1.  Now found is the fairest of roses,

‘Mongst briars it sweetly reposes;

My Jesus is so precious and holy

Abode among sinners so lowly.

2.  Since man his Creator deserted

And wholly His image perverted,

The world like a desert was lying,

And all in transgression were dying.

3.  But God, as His promise had granted,

A Rose in the desert has planted,

Which now is with sweetness endowing

The race that in evil was growing.

4.  All men should with gladness forever

Give praises to God for His favor,

But many have ne’er comprehended

The Rose to the world has descended.

5.  My Jesus, Thou ever remainest

My glory and crown, who sustainest

My heart in the fullness of pleasure;

Thy sweetness alone I will treasure.

6.  The world may of all thins bereave me,

Its thorns may annoy and aggrieve me,

The foe may affliction engender,

My rose I will never surrender.