Above:  Tower of Storkyrkan, the Great Church, Stockholm, Sweden

Image in the Public Domain

Olavus Petri (1493-1552), a leader of the Swedish Reformation, was the Father of Swedish Literature and the first Lutheran pastor in Stockholm.

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Blest Easter Day, What Joy is Thine/O Paschal Feast, What Joy is Thine:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/blest-easter-day-what-joy-is-thineo-paschal-feast-what-joy-is-thine/

Now Hail We Our Redeemer:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/now-hail-we-our-redeemer/

Our Father, Merciful and Good:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/our-father-merciful-and-good/

Thy Sacred Word, O Lord, of Old:

https://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2016/01/10/thy-sacred-word-o-lord-of-old/

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Above:  Icon of the Holy Trinity, by Andrei Rublev

Image in the Public Domain

Swedish Text (1530) by Olavus Petri (1493-1552)

English Translation (Before 1925) by Augustus Nelson (1863-1949)

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

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Our Father, merciful and good,

Who dost to Thee invite us,

O cleanse us in our Saviour’s blood,

And to Thyself unite us!

Send unto us Thy holy Word,

And let it guide us ever;

Then in this world of darkness, Lord,

Shall naught from Thee us sever:

Grant us, O Lord, this favor!

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We cry to Thee with one accord,

‘Tis all that can avail us;

We cannot hear nor keep Thy Word,

If grace divine doth fail us.

Behold our lot, we humbly pray,

For our dear Saviour’s merit,

How Satan soweth tares alway,

And send, O Lord, Thy Spirit,

That we may life inherit.

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O God and man, Christ Jesus blest!

Our sorrows Thou didst carry,

Our wants and cares Thou knowest best,

For Thou with us didst tarry.

O Jesus Christ, our Brother dear,

To us and every nation

Thy Spirit send, let Him draw near

With truth and consolation,

That we may see salvation.

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Come, Holy Ghost, Thy grace impart,

Tear Satan’s snares asunder.

The Word of God keep in our heart,

That we its truth may ponder.

Then, sanctified, for evermore

In Christ alone confiding,

We’ll sing His praise and Him adore,

His precious Word us guiding

To heavenly joys abiding!

Above:  Title Page of the Gustav Vasa Bible (1541)

Image in the Public Domain

Swedish Text by Olavus Petri (1493-1552)

English Translation by Ernst W. Olson (1870-1958)

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

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Thy sacred Word, O Lord, of old

Was veiled about and darkened,

And in its stead were legends told,

To which the people harkened;

Thy Word, for which the faithful yearned,

The worldlings kept in hiding,

And into human fables turned

Thy truth, the all-abiding.

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Now thanks and praise be to our Lord,

Who boundless grace bestoweth,

And daily through the sacred Word

His precious gifts forthshoweth.

His word is come to light again,

A trusty lamp to guide us;

No strange and divers teachings then

Bewilder and divide us.

Above:  Icon of the Resurrection

Image in the Public Domain

Swedish Text (1536) by Olavus Petri (1493-1552)

English Translation (Before 1899) by George Henry Trabert (1843-1931)

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

Some hymnals contain a shortened and altered version of the hymn, listing it as “O Paschal Feast, What Joy is Thine.”

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Blest Easter Day, what joy is thine!

We praise, dear Lord, Thy Name divine,

For Thou hast triumphed o’er the tomb;

No more we need to dread its gloom.

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The tree where Thou was offered up

Now bears the fruit of life and hope:

Thy precious blood for us is shed,

Now we may feed on heavenly bread.

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We thank Thee, Jesus, that Thy hand

Has freed us from sin’s galling band;

No more its thralldom we need fear;

The year of liberty is here.

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O Jesus Christ, God’s Son elect,

Our Paschal Lamb without defect,

To us Thou givest strength indeed,

In all our conflicts, all our need.

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O grant, that as Thou didst arise,

We, too, with joy, may heavenward rise,

First from our sin, to love Thy way,

Then from the grave on that great Day.

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All praise to Thee who from death’s might,

From carnal lust and sin’s dark plight

Redeemest me, that even I

May reach eternal life on high.

Above:  The Hymn Title

Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

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

Original Words by Aurelius Ambrose (340-397), according to tradition

Original Words by Elisabet Cruciger (Circa 1500-1535), according to the companion volume (1985) to The Covenant Hymnal (1973), The Evangelical Covenant Church of America

Swedish Translation by Olavus Petri (1493-1552)

English Translation by Ernst W. Olson (1870-1958)

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1.  Now hail we our Redeemer,

Eternal Son of God,

Born in the flesh to save us,

And cleanse us in His blood.

The Morning Star ascendeth,

Light to the world He lendeth,

Our Guide in grief and gloom.

2.  A man, of God begotten,

Brought in the age of grace;

Lo, all the earth is radiant

With light, and hope, and peace.

Our prison He demolished,

Death’s power He abolished,

And opened heaven’s gate.

3.  O Jesus, grant us mercy,

And grace on us bestow,

To walk by Thine own guidance,

Thy saving truth to know.

For Thee our hearts are yearning,

From worldly pleasures turning

Unto Thy righteousness.

4.  Into Thy hand the Father

Gave all, that we might be

In bonds of faith united;

And dedicate to Thee

A people through Thy merit

Entitled to inherit

Thy realm eternally.