Advent
O Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee
- Words:
- Paul Gerhardt, 1653. translator unknown.
- Music:
- 'Wie Soll ich Dich Empfange' Johann Crüger, 1653.
- Setting:
- "Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book", 1931.
- Metre:
- 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6
- 1O Lord, how shall I meet Thee,How welcome Thee aright?All nations long to see Thee,My Hope, my heart's Delight!O kindle, Lord, most holy,Thy lamp within my breast,To do in spirit lowlyAll that may please Thee best.
- 2Thy Zion palms is strewing,And branches fresh and fair;My heart, its pow'rs renewing,An anthem shall prepare.My soul puts off her sadnessThy glories to proclaim;With all her strength and gladnessShe fain would serve Thy Name.
- 3What hast Thou left ungrantedTo give me glad relief?When soul and body pantedIn utmost depth of grief,In deepest degradation,Devoid of joy and peace,Then, Thou, my soul's Salvation,Didst come to bring release.
- 4I lay in fetters groaning,Thou com'st to set me free;I stood, my shame bemoaning,Thou com'st to honor me.A glory Thou dost give me,A treasure safe on high,That will not fail nor leave meAs earthly riches fly.
- 5Love caused Thine incarnationLove brought Thee down to me;Thy thirst for my salvationProcured my liberty.O love beyond all telling,That led Thee to embrace,In love all love excelling,Our lost and fallen race!
- 6Rejoice, then, ye sad-hearted, Who sit in deepest gloom,Who mourn o'er joys departed, And tremble at your doom:Despair not, He is near you, Yea, standing at the door;He brings His pity near you, And bids you weep no more.
- 7No care nor effort either Is needed day or night,How ye may draw Him hither In your own strength and might.He comes, He comes with gladness, Moved by His love alone,To calm your fear and sadness, To Him they well are known.
- 8Sin's debt, that fearful burden, Let not your souls distress;Your guilt the Lord will pardon and cover with His grace.He comes, He comes procuring The peace of sin forgiv'n,To all God's sons securing Their part and lot in heav'n.
- 9Why should the wicked move you? Heed not their craft and spite!Your Savior who doth love you, Will scatter all their might.He comes, a King most glorious, and all His earthly foesIn vain His course victorious Endeavor to oppose.
- 10He comes to judge the nations, A terror to His foes,A light of consolations And blessed hope to thoseWho love the Lord's appearing. O glorious Sun, now come,Send forth Thy beams so cheering, And guide is safely home!
Scripture
Topics
- Anticipation
- Assurance
- Christmas/Advent
- Comfort
- Compassion
- Consolation
- Courage in Affliction
- Faithfulness
- Fear of the Lord
- Forgiveness
- God, Mercy of
- God's Children - the Faithful (see also Saints, People of the World)
- Gratitude
- Hope
- Humility
- Jesus
- Joy
- Judgment
- Kindness, God's
- Light
- Love
- Peace
- Presence
- Promises (see also Gospel)
- Salvation
- Second Coming
- Security
- Service
- Sinners
- Trust
- Victory
Words, music and setting are in the public domain. The score is from the Open Hymnal Project (Brian J. Dumont), which places its own work in the public domain. The piano is the FluidR3 General MIDI sound font (MIT licence). How many hymnals print a hymn, and when it was written, is from Hymnary.org.