Above:  Christ in Majesty

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1911), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Anonymous Latin Text (500s or 600s)

English Translation (1852) by James Russell Woodford (1820-1885), Anglican Bishop of Ely (1873-1885)

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Christ, above all glory seated,

King triumphant, strong to save,

Dying, Thou hast death defeated,

Buried, Thou hast spoiled the grave.

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Thou art gone where now is given

What no mortal might could gain,

On the eternal throne of heaven

In Thy Father’s power to reign.

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There Thy kingdoms all adore Thee,

Heaven above and earth below;

While the depths of hell before Thee

Trembling and amazed bow.

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We, O Lord, with hearts adoring,

Follow Thee beyond the sky:

Hear our prayers Thy grace imploring,

Lift our souls to Thee on high;

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So when Thou again in glory

On the clouds of heaven shalt shine,

We Thy flock may stand before Thee,

Owned for evermore as Thine.

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Hail!  all hail!  In Thee confiding,

Jesus, Thee shall all adore,

In Thy Father’s might abiding

With one Spirit evermore.

Above:  The Crucifixion of Jesus

Image in the Public Domain

Anonymous Latin Text, 13th-15th Centuries

English Translation by John Athelstan Laurie Riley (1858-1945)

Hymn Source = The English Hymnal (1906), The Church of England

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Dost thou truly seek renown

Christ his glory sharing?

Wouldst thou win the heavenly crown

Victor’s meed declaring?

Tread the path the Saviour trod,

Look upon the crown of God,

See what he is wearing.

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This the King of heaven bore

In that sore contending;

This his sacred temples wore,

Honour to it lending;

In this helm he faced the foe,

On the Rood he laid him low,

Satan’s kingdom ending.

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Christ upon the Tree of Scorn,

In salvation’s hour,

Turned to gold these pricks of thorn

By his Passion’s power;

So on sinners, who had earned

Endless death, from sin returned,

Endless blessings shower.

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When in death’s embrace we lie,

Then, good Lord, be near us;

With thy presence fortify,

And with victory cheer us;

Turn our erring hearts to thee,

That we crowned for ay may be:

O good Jesu, hear us!

Above:  Lake Rocks in Morning Mist

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

Anonymous Finnish Text (published in 1836)

English Translation (1938) by Gustav Adolf Aho (1897-1973)

Gustav Adolf Aho, born in Sebeka, Minnesota, on October 9, 1897, to Jacob Aho and Wilhelmiina “Mina” Juuti Aho, became a minister of the former Finnish Evangelical Lutheran National Church of America (1898-1964; renamed the National Evangelical Lutheran Church from 1946 to 1964) in 1921.  He served as pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Jersey City, New Jersey (1921-1926); First Lutheran Church, Ely, Minnesota (1926-1934); and the Lutheran National Churches in Ashtabula and Fairport Harbor, Ohio (1934-?).  Later he served churches in New York and Ontario.  From 1928 to 1931 he was the Secretary of the FELNCA.  Then, from 1931 to 1953, he was the President of the FELNCA/NELC.  The NELC merged into The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod in 1964.  Aho’s last position was as chaplain at the East Ridge Retirement Village, Miami, Florida (1968-1972).  He died on December 27, 1973.

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1.  The morning sun is brightly beaming,

And darkness deep has passed away;

All earth with life and joy is teeming

In beauty of a new-born day.

O gracious Father, purest Light,

Thou bringest day, dispellest night.

2.  Grant unto me in tender mercies

Thy Holy Spirit’s saving light;

The entrance of Thy Word disperses

From out of my mind its sinful night.

My poor and erring heart instill

With love to do Thy gracious will.

3.  Dear Jesus, send Thy mercies o’er me

Like morning dews to cleanse my soul.

Oh, may Thy holy blood restore me.

Let me be strengthened by Thy might

To walk in Thy eternal light.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Cartersville, Georgia, May 10, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Original Czech Text by John Augusta (1500-1572), a bishop of the Moravian Church who spent 1548-1564 as a political prisoner falsely accused of leading a rebellion he actually had opposed

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Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923)

Anonymous English Translation

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1.  How blest and lovely Thy earthly dwellings are,

Wherein assemble Thy Christian people dear,

O God our Lord, Thy praises to record.

2.  One day is better, if spent Thy courts within,

Than thousand others of pleasurable sin;

Thy holy will, oh help us to fulfill.

3.  Preserve for ever our sacred liberty,

As conscience prompts us, to meet and worship Thee,

To thank and praise Thee for Thy word of grace.

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Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

English Translation (1966) by Ewald Valentin Nolte (1909-1991)

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1.  O Lord, how lovely

Are Thy habitations,

Where Thy holy

People of all nations

Praise Thee,

Songs eternal raise Thee.

2.  Each day before Thee

Is a wondrous blessing.

We implore Thee

Keep us from transgressing.

Guide us,

Be Thou e’er beside us.

3.  Help us defend our

Freedom to assemble;

Lord, attend our

Prayer within Thy temple.

May we

Through Thy Word obey Thee.

4.  Dear Lord, accept us,

For we trust Thee solely.

Thou hast kept us

In Thy presence holy.

Saviour,

Thine we are forever.

Above:  Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Cartersville, Georgia, May 10, 2015

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Anonymous German Text (1734)

English Translation (1937) by William Gustave Polack (1890-1950)

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

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1.  With the Lord begin thy task,

Jesus will direct it;

For His aid and counsel ask,

Jesus will perfect it.

Ev’ry morn with Jesus rise,

And when day is ended,

In His name then close thine eyes;

Be to Him commended.

2.  Let each day begin with prayer,

Praise, and adoration;

On the Lord cast ev’ry care,

He is thy Salvation.

Morning, evening, and at night

Jesus will be near thee,

Save from the Tempter’s might,

With His presence cheer thee.

3.  With thy Savior at thy side,

Foes need not alarm thee;

In His promises confide,

And no ill can harm thee.

All thy trust do thou repose

In the mighty Master,

Who in wisdom truly knows

How to stem disaster.

4.  If thy task be thus begun

With the Savior’s blessing,

Safely then thy course will run,

Naught thy soul distressing.

Good will follow everywhere

While thou here must wander;

Thou at last the joy wilt share

In the mansions yonder.

5.  Thus, Lord Jesus, every task

Be to Thee commended;

May Thy will be done, I ask,

Until life is ended.

Jesus, in Thy name begun

Be the day’s endeavor;

Grant that it may well be done

To Thy praise forever.

Above:  Icon of the Holy Trinity, by Andrei Rublev

Image in the Public Domain

Hymnal Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

Anonymous German Text (1543); attributed to Martin Luther (1483-1546)

English Translation (1940) by William Gustave Polack (1890-1950)

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1.  All glory be to God alone,

Forevermore the Highest One,

Who doth our sinful race befriend

And grace and peace to us extend.

Among mankind may His good will

All hearts with deep thanksgiving fill.

2.  We praise Thee, God, and Thee we bless;

We worship Thee in humbleness;

From day by day we glorify Thee,

Everlasting  God on high.

Of Thy great glory do we sing,

And e’er to Thee our thanks we bring.

3.  Lord God, our King on heaven’s throne,

Our Father, the Almighty One.

O Lord, the Sole begotten One,

Lord Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son,

True God from all eternity,

O Lamb of God, to Thee we flee.

4.  Thou dost the world’s sin take away;

Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.

Thou dost the world’s sin take away;

Give ear unto the prayer we say.

Thou sitt’st at God’s right hand for aye;

Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.

5.  Thou only art the Holy One;

Thou art o’er all things Lord alone.

O Jesus Christ, we glorify

Thee only as the Lord Most High;

Thou art, the Holy Ghost with Thee,

One in the Father’s majesty.

6.  Amen, this ever true shall be,

As angels sing adoringly.

By all creation, far and wide,

Thou, Lord, art ever glorified;

And Thee all Christendom doth praise

Now and through everlasting days.

Above:  Title Page of Praxis Pietatis Melica–Ubung der Gottseeligkeit (1721), by Johann Cruger

Image in the Public Domain

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Kyrie, God Father in Heaven Above:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/kyrie-god-father-in-heaven-above/

Christ is Arisen:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/christ-is-arisen/

All Glory Be to God Alone:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/all-glory-be-to-god-alone/

With the Lord Begin Thy Task:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/05/22/with-the-lord-begin-thy-task/

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Above:  The Resurrection and the Women at the Tomb, by Fra Angelico

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

Anonymous Latin Text (circa 1100)

Translation (1939) by William Gustave Polack (1890-1950)

This is the oldest German Easter hymn and one of the earliest German hymns of any kind.  According to Wackernagel it is found in four versions in the twelfth century.  The same authority gives seventeen fifteenth-century versions that vary from five lines to eleven stanzas.

–William Gustave Polack, The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal, Second and Revised Edition (1942), page 142

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Christ is arisen

From the grave’s prison.

We now rejoice with gladness;

Christ will end all sadness.

Lord, have mercy.

All our hopes were ended

Had Jesus not ascended

From the grave triumphantly.

For this, Lord Christ, we worship Thee.

Lord, have mercy.

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

Hallelujah!

We now rejoice with gladness;

Christ will end all sadness.

Lord, have mercy.

Above:  Part of the Beginning of the Latin Mass

Image Source = The CTS New Sunday Missal:  People’s Edition with the New Translation of the Mass (London, England, UK:  Catholic Truth Society, 2011), page 534

Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Traditional Latin Text, circa 1100 (if not earlier)

Anonymous German Translation (circa 1541)

English Translation (1939) by William Gustave Polack (1890-1950)

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

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Kyrie, God Father in heav’n above,

Great art Thou in grace and love,

Of all things the Maker and Preserver.

Eleison, eleison!

Kyrie, O Christ, our King,

Salvation for sinners Thou didst bring.

O Lord Jesus, God’s own Son,

Our Mediator at the heav’nly throne,

Hear our cry and grant our supplication.

Eleison, eleison!

Kyrie, O God the Holy Ghost,

Guard our faith, the gift we need the most;

Do Thou our last hour bless;

Let us leave this sinful world with gladness.

Eleison, eleison!

Above:  Zion Episcopal Church, Talbotton, Georgia, October 25, 2008

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Anonymous Latin Text, 1661

English Translation (1906) by John Athelstan Laurie Riley (1858-1945)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1940 (1943), The Episcopal Church

The Ray Palmer translation is here.

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1.  O Food of men wayfaring,

The bread of angels sharing,

O Manna from on high!

We hunger; Lord, supply us,

Nor thy delights deny us,

Whose hearts to thee draw nigh.

2.  O stream of love past telling,

O purest fountain, welling

From out the Saviour’s side!

We faint with thirst; revive us,

Of thine abundance give us,

And all we need provide.

3.  O Jesus, by thee bidden,

We here adore thee, hidden

‘Neath forms of bread and wine.

Grant when the veil is riven,

We may behold, in heaven,

Thy countenance divine.