Hope From Desolation

We are still in the Lenten season, but the end is in sight, with Holy Week approaching soon.

Jesus, all my gladness,
My repose in sadness,
Jesus, heaven to me;
Ah, my heart long plaineth,
Ah, my spirit straineth,
Longeth after thee!
Thine I am, O holy Lamb;
Only where thou art is pleasure,
Thee alone I treasure.

Hence with earthly treasure:
Thou art all my pleasure,
Jesus my desire!
Hence, for pomps I care not,
E'en as though they were not
Rank and fortune's hire.
Want and gloom, cross, death, and tomb;
Naught that I may suffer ever
Shall from Jesus sever.

Flee, dark clouds that lower,
For my joy-bestower,
Jesus, enters in!
Joy from tribulation,
Hope from desolation,
They who love God win.
Be it blame or scorn or shame,
Thou art with me in earth's sadness,
Jesus, all my gladness. 

Johann Franck, 1650;

tr. Arthur W. Wotherspoon, 1912; alt.

Tune; JESU, MEINE FREUDE (6.6.5.6.6.5.7.8.6.)

Johann Cruger, 1653; harm. J. S. Bach (18th cent.)




P.S. - The art above is a portion of the painting The Presence (1910) by A. E. Borthwick, which hangs at St. Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh and depicts Christ coming to a petitioner in the nave of the cathedral.

With Countless Gifts of Love

Now thank we all our God,

With hearts and hands and voices,

Who wondrous things has done,

In whom this world rejoices;

Who from our mothers’ arms

Has blessed us on our way

With countless gifts of love,

And still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God

Through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts

And blessèd peace to cheer us;

The one eternal God,

Whom earth and Heaven adore;

For thus it was, is now,

And shall be evermore.

Martin Rinkart, 1636;

tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1856

Tune: NUN DANKET (6.7.6.7.6.6.6.6.)

Johann Crüger, 1647

Two Years Ago: All Good Gifts Around Us

One Year Ago: The Song of Harvest Home

Good Friday

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,

That we to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee!
I crucified thee.

For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and thy life’s oblation;
Thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
Think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.

Johann Heerman, 1630
tr. Robert Bridges, 1899; alt.
Tune: HERZLIEBSTER JESU (11.11.11.5.)
Johann Cruger, 1640

P.S. The painting above is detail from The Ascent to Calvary by Jacopo Tintoretto (1566)

One Year Ago: Good Friday

O Come, Great Spirit, Come

The Sundays after Pentecost go on for quite a while until we get back to Advent and the beginning of another church year. I've chosen a few favorite themes to fill in these Sundays if there is no other commemoration to be marked. Sometimes I think that hymns of the Holy Spirit get overlooked a bit, but all the ones I know I generally like, so that's going to be one of the possible themes this summer and fall.

Spirit divine, attend our prayers,
And make our hearts thy home;
Descend with all thy gracious powers;
O come, great Spirit, come!

Come as the light; to us reveal
Our emptiness and woe;
And lead us on those paths of life,
Whereon the righteous go.

Come as the fire, and purge our hearts
Like sacrificial flame;
Let our whole souls an offering be
In Love’s redeeming name.

Come as the dew, and sweetly bless
This consecrated hour;
Earth's barren places will rejoice
In thy renewing power.

Come as the dove, and spread thy wings,
The wings of peaceful love;
And let the church on earth become
Blest as thy Church above.

Come as the wind, with rushing sound,
And Pentecostal grace,
That all of humankind may see
The glory of thy face.

Spirit divine, attend our prayer,
Make all this world thy home;
Descend with all thy gracious powers,
O come, great Spirit, come!

Andrew Reed, 1829; alt.
Tune: GRAFENBERG (C.M.)
Johann Crüger, 1647

You can't really cut any of the verses here because which of the attributes of the Spirit would you choose to leave out?