Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal and Order of Service (1925), The Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod

Paraphrase (1924) of Psalm 139:23 and 24 by Claus August Wendell (1866-1950)

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Search me, God, and know my heart,

Lord of truth and mercy;

Try me, Thou who from afar

Knowest all my secrets;

And if any wicked way

Should be found within me,

Blessed Saviour, lead Thou me

In the way eternal.

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The Service Book and Hymnal (immediate predecessors of the American Lutheran Church [1960] and the Lutheran Church in America [1962], 1958) also contains the above text verbatim.

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The Lutheran Book of Worship (immediate predecessors of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America [1987], 1978) modernizes the text and makes it the second verse of a composite hymn, with a new first verse (beginning with “Wondrous are your ways, O God!”) by Joel W. Lundeen.  The modernized version of the text by Wendell follows:

Search me, God, and know my heart,

Lord of truth and mercy.

From afar, O Lord, you know

All my thoughts and secrets.

And if any wicked way

Should be found within me,

Cleanse, forgive me by your grace;

Grant me life eternal.

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Christian Worship:  A Lutheran Hymnal (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, 1993) also modernizes the Wendell text and uses it as the second verse of a composite hymn.  However, this hymn book alters the Lundeen text.

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The text by Wendell is absent from the current Lutheran  denominational hymnals in my collection:

1. Ambassador Hymnal for Lutheran Worship (The Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, 1994),
2. Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary (The Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal, 1996),
3. Worship Supplement 2000 (Church of the Lutheran Confession, 2000),
4. Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 2006), and
5. Lutheran Service Book (The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, 2006).

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KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JUNE 11, 2016 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAINT BARNABAS THE APOSTLE, COWORKER OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE

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Above:  The Luther Rose

Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Anna Bernadine Dorothy Hoppe (1889-1941), of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was one of the best hymn writers and translators the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) produced.  Her texts seem to have fallen out of favor with editorial committees recent North American Lutheran hymnals, however.  My survey of the most recent denominational hymnals (1993-2006) among North American Lutherans has yielded the following results:

1. Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary (1996, The Evangelical Lutheran Synod) and Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)–no Hoppe hymns;
2. Christian Worship:  A Lutheran Hymnal (1993, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) and Lutheran Service Book (2006, The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod)–one Hoppe hymn each; and
3. Ambassador Hymnal for Lutheran Worship (1994, Association of Free Lutheran Congregations)–two Hoppe hymns.

Also, The Covenant Hymnal:  A Worshipbook (1996, the Evangelical Covenant Church of America, a close relation to Scandinavian Lutheranism) contains one Hoppe hymn.

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By Nature Deaf to Things Divine:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/by-nature-deaf-to-things-divine/

Desire of Every Nation:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/desire-of-every-nation/

Eternal God, Our Father:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/eternal-god-our-father/

Have Ye Heard the Invitation:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/have-ye-heard-the-invitation/

Heavenly Sower, Thou Hast Scattered:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/heavenly-sower-thou-hast-scattered/

How Blest Are They Who Through the Power of Heaven-Kindled Faith:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/how-blest-are-they-who-through-the-power-of-heaven-kindled-faith/

I Open Wide the Portals of My Heart:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/i-open-wide-the-portals-of-my-heart/

Jesus, O Precious Name:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/jesus-o-precious-name/

Like Enoch, Let Me Ever Walk With Thee:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/let-enoch-let-me-ever-walk-with-thee/

Lord Jesus Christ, the Children’s Friend:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/lord-jesus-christ-the-childrens-friend/

O Dear Redeemer Crucified:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/o-dear-redeemer-crucified/

O Father Mine, Whose Mercies Never Cease:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/o-father-mine-whose-mercies-never-cease/

O Friend of Sinners, Son of God:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/o-friend-of-sinners-son-of-god/

O Precious Saviour, Heal and Bless:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/o-precious-saviour-heal-and-bless/

The Sower Goeth Forth to Sow:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/the-sower-goeth-forth-to-sow/

This Night a Wondrous Revelation:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/this-night-a-wondrous-revelation/

Thou Goest to Jerusalem:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/thou-goest-to-jerusalem/

Thou Hast Indeed Made Manifest:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/thou-hast-indeed-made-manifest/

Thou Lord of Life and Death:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/02/06/thou-lord-of-life-and-death/

Jesus, Thou from Death Hast Risen:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/09/14/jesus-thou-from-death-hast-risen/

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Above:  The Hymn Title

Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Hymn Source = The Concordia Hymnal (1932), U.S. Lutheran

Original German Words (1833) by Carl Johann Philipp Spitta (1801-1859)

English Translation by Sarah Borthwick Findlater (1823-1907)

I found the name of the translator in Service Book and Hymnal (1958).  The Concordia Hymnal (1932) and its sort-of successor, The Ambassador Hymnal for Lutheran Worship (1994), list Spitta as author but do not identify the translator.

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1.  O happy home, where Thou art loved the dearest,

Thou loving Friend and Savior of our race,

And where among the guests there never cometh

One who can hold such high and honored place!

2.  O happy home, where little ones are given

To Thee, O Lord, in humble faith and pray’r,

To Thee, their Friend, who from the heights of heaven

Guides them, and guards with more than mother’s care!

3.  O happy home, where each one serves Thee lowly,

Whatever his appointed work may be,

Till ev’ry common task seems great and holy,

When it is done, O Lord, as unto Thee!

4.  O happy home, where Thou art not forgotten

When joy is overflowing, full and free,

O happy home, where ev’ry wounded spirit

Is brought, Physician, Comforter, to Thee.

5.  And when at last all earthly toil is ended,

All meet Thee in the blessed home above,

From whence Thou camest, where Thou hast ascended,–

Thine everlasting home of peace and love.