Above:  Harriet Reynolds Krauth Spaeth

Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Image Source = Carl F. Schalk, God’s Song in a New Land:  Lutheran Hymnals in America (1995)

Harriet Reynolds Krauth Spaeth (1845-1925) was the Music Editor of the Church Book for the Use of Evangelical Lutheran Congregations (1872), the General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in North America (1867-1918).

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O Son of God in Co-Eternal Might:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/08/29/o-son-of-god-in-co-eternal-might/

Thy Little Ones, Dear Lord, Are We:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2015/01/12/thy-little-ones-dear-lord-are-we/

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Above:  Icon of the Holy Trinity, by Andrei Rublev

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = American Lutheran Hymnal (1930), The American Lutheran Church (1930-1960) and its immediate predecessor bodies

Original German Text by Johann Konrad Wilhelm Loehe (1808-1872)

English Translation (1894) by Harriet Reynolds Krauth Spaeth (1845-1925)

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O Son of God, in co-eternal might,

O Son of Man, clothed in the living light

Of Godhead manifest, in pow’r and glory;

Lord Jesus Christ, Thou sole Desire

That doth Thy longing worshippers inspire,

For Thee alone my spirit yearns in me;

No, bliss I find until I am with Thee.

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The field is golden, flow’rs the meadow strew,

The mountains rise sublime, the skies are blue;

In these the child of earth may well find pleasure;

I too, rejoice in all of them,

But, not content, I want Jerusalem.

Where Thou art throned, thither sets my sail;

Home is not home, except within the veil.

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Angelic legions, in Thy brightness bright,

Gaze on Thy face; my fathers share the sight;

The God-man’s matchless glory is unshrouded,

And from that vision, to the soul

Unmeasured waves of joy supernal roll,

That rise in full and ever fuller tone,

Like ocean surges, to the Lamb’s white throne.

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Then let me go–what further hinders me?–

To mine own folk, the Son of Man to see.

No glance will I; of that majestic beauty

My eager soul would take her fill.

Joy even now, and trembling, thro’ me thrill.

I must away! Thou hast prepared my place;

My spirit panteth, Lord, to see Thy face.

Above:  Christ the Merciful

Image in the Public Domain

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

English Translation (1898) by Harriet Reynolds Krauth Spaeth (1845-1925)

Hymn Source = Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary (1996), Evangelical Lutheran Synod

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1.  Thy little ones, dear Lord, we are,

And come Thy holy bed to see;

Enlighten ev’ry soul and mind

That we the way to Thee may find.

2.  With songs we hasten Thee to greet

And kiss the dust before Thy feet;

O blessed hour, O sweetest night,

That gave Thee birth, our soul’s delight.

3.  Now welcome! From Thy heav’nly home

Thou to our vale of tears art come;

Man hath no off’ring for Thee save

The stable, manger, cross, and grave.

4.  Jesus, alas! how can it be

So few bestow a thought on Thee

Or on the love, so wondrous great,

That drew Thee down to our estate?

5.  O draw us wholly to Thee, Lord,

Do Thou to us Thy grace accord,

True faith and love to us impart,

That we may hold Thee in our heart.

6.  Keep us, howe’er the world may lure,

In our baptismal cov’nant pure;

That ev’ry yearning thought may be

Directed only unto Thee

7.  Until at last we, too, proclaim,

With all Thy saints, Thy glorious name;

In Paradise our songs renew,

And praise Thee as the angels do.

8.  We gather round Thee, Jesus dear,

So happy in Thy presence here;

Grant us, our Savior, ev’ry one,

To stand in heav’n before Thy throne.