Above:  The Luther Rose

Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Ludwig Andreas Gotter (1661-1735) was a German Lutheran layman and hymn writer.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Friend of the Weary, O Refresh Us

I Will Ever Sing Thy Praises, Mighty God and Gracious King

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Above:  The New Jerusalem, from a fresco by Giusto de’ Monabuio, in the baptistry, Padua, Italy

Image in the Public Domain

German Text (1697) by Ludwig Andreas Gotter (1661-1735)

English Translation (1912) by Rudolph A. John (1859-1938)

Hymn Source = The Hymnal (1941), of the Evangelical and Reformed Church

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I will ever sing Thy praises,

Mighty God and gracious King;

Glad my heart its tribute raises,

And to Thee my psalms I sing;

Thou art King of all creation,

Every land and every nation;

“Thousand, thousand thanks to Thee,

Mighty God,” my song shall be!

+++++

All the people shall proclaim Thee,

Sing Thy praise from shore to shore;

Every human heart shall name Thee,

God and King forevermore;

On Thy throne in heaven vaulted,

In Thy majesty exalted,

“Thousand, thousand thanks to Thee,

Mighty God,” my song shall be!

+++++

When at last my feet have found Thee,

When at last I am Thine own;

When the ransomed hosts surround Thee,

On Thy great eternal throne;

When in yonder land of glory

Angels tell redemption’s story,

“Thousand, thousand thanks to Thee,

Mighty God,” my song shall be!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Above:  Christ the Merciful

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church (1917), United Lutheran Church in America (1918-1962) and its immediate predecessors

Original German Text by Ludwig Andreas Gotter (1661-1735)

English Translation (1914, 1917) by John Caspar Mattes (1876-1948)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1.  Friend of the weary, O refresh us,

And turn to us Thy loving face,

With Thy sweet peace and pardon bless us,

That sin may be destroyed by grace;

O come, Thy sweet compassion showing,

On our poor souls Thy grace bestowing.

2.  From Thee our only comfort cometh,

Our strength and hope, O Lord of all;

To Thee all power still belongeth

To save and help us in each fall;

Thy grace and pardon will deliver,

And set us free from shame forever.

3.  And Thou did’st help the sick and weary,

Who once were gathered at Thy side,

‘Mid earthly deserts, waste and dreary,

In Thy sure aid we still confide;

When evils come, our souls assailing,

Send us Thy Word of grace unfailing.