2 The Word is made incarnate,
Descending from on high;
And cherubim sing anthems
To shepherds, from the sky.
3 And we with them triumphant,
Repeat the hymn again :
"To God on high be glory,
And peace on earth to men!"
4 Since all He comes to ransom,
By all be He adored,
The Infant born in Bethlehem,
The Saviour and the Lord!

5 And idol forms shall perish,
And error shall decay,

And Christ shall wield his sceptre,
Our Lord and God for aye.

Anatolius. ab. 450.

Tr. John Mason Neale. 1862. a.

131

Go

Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her.

L. M.

YOOD news from heaven the angels bring,
Glad tidings to the earth they sing:
To us this day a Child is given,

To crown us with the joy of heaven.

2 This is the Christ, our God and Lord,
Who in all need shall aid afford;
He will Himself our Saviour be,
From all our sins to set us free.

3 To us that blessedness He brings,
Which from the Father's bounty springs:
That in the heavenly realm we may
With Him enjoy eternal day.

4 All hail, Thou noble Guest, this morn,
Whose Love did not the sinner scorn:

In my distress Thou comest to me;
What thanks shall I return to Thee?

5 Were earth a thousand times as fair,
Beset with gold and jewels rare,
She yet were far too poor to be
A narrow cradle, Lord, for Thee.
6 Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

7 Praise God upon His heavenly throne,
Who gave to us His only Son:
For this His hosts, on joyful wing,
A blest New Year of mercy sing.

132

Martin Luther. 1535.

Tr. Arthur Tozer Russell. 1848.
And Catherine Winkworth. 1855.

Freut euch, ihr lieben Christen.
EJOICE, rejoice, ye Christians,
With all your hearts, this morn!

O hear the blessed tidings,

"The Lord, the Christ, is born," Now brought us by the angels

That stand about God's throne;

O lovely are the voices

That make such tidings known!

2 O hearken to their singing!

This Child shall be

your

Friend;

The Father so hath willed it,

That thus your woes should end.

The Son is freely given,

That in Him ye may have

The Father's grace and blessing,
And know He loves to save.

7.6.D.

3 Nor deem the form too lowly
That clothes Him at this hour;
For know ye what it hideth?
'Tis God's almighty power.
Though now within the manger
So poor and weak He lies,
He is the Lord of all things,
He reigns above the skies.

4 Sin, death, and hell, and Satan
Have lost the victory;

133

This Child shall overthrow them;
As ye shall surely see.

Their wrath shall naught avail them;
Fear not, their reign is o'er;
This Child shall overthrow them,-
O hear, and doubt no more!

Unknown. 1540.

Tr. Catherine Winkworth. 1862.

Wir singen Dir, Immanuel.
MMANUEL! we sing Thy praise,

L. M.

of Grace!

With all Thy saints, Thee, Lord, we sing;
Praise, honor, thanks, to Thee we bring!

2 E'er since the world began to be,
How many a heart hath longed for Thee!
And Thou, O long-expected Guest,

Hast come at last to make us blest!

3 Now art Thou here: we know Thee now;
In lowly manger liest Thou:

A Child, yet makest all things great;
Poor, yet is earth Thy robe of state.

4 Now fearless I can look on Thee:
From sin and grief Thou set'st me free:
Thou bearest wrath, Thou conquerest death,
Fear turns to joy Thy glance beneath.

5 Thou art my Head, my Lord divine:
I am Thy member, wholly Thine;
And in Thy Spirit's strength would still
Serve Thee according to Thy will.
6 Thus will I sing Thy praises here,
With joyful spirit year by year:

And they shall sound before Thy throne,
Where time nor number more is known.

Paul Gerhardt. 1653.

From Catherine Winkworth. Tr. 1855.

134

PSALM 98.

C. M.

JOY

OY to the world; the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King.
Him room,

Let every heart prepare

And heaven and nature sing.

2 Joy to the earth; the Saviour reigns! Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains, Repeat the sounding joy.

3 No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground.

He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

4 He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove

The glories of His Righteousness,
And wonders of His Love.

Isaac Watts. 1719.

135

Du wesentliches Wort.

SAVIOUR of our race,

Welcome indeed Thou art,

Blessed Redeemer, Fount of grace,
To this my longing heart!

S. M.

2 Light of the world, abide
Through faith within my heart;
Leave me to seek no other guide,
Nor e'er from Thee depart.

3 Thou art the Life, O Lord!
Sole Light of life Thou art!
Let not Thy glorious rays be poured
In vain on my dark heart.

4 Star of the East, arise!

Drive all my clouds away;

Guide me till earth's dim twilight dies
Into the perfect day.

Laurentius Laurenti. 1700.

Tr. Catherine Winkworth. 1855.

136

NEW YEAR.

Our Lord's Circumcision.
HE year begins with Thee,
And Thou begin'st with woe,
To let the world of sinners see

THA

That blood for sin must flow.

2 Am I a child of tears,

Cradled in care and woe?
And seems it hard my vernal

Few vernal joys can show?

3 I look, and hold my peace:
The Giver of all good

years

E'en from the womb takes no release
From suffering, tears, and blood.

4 That I may reap in love,

Help me to sow in fear:

So life a winter's morn may prove
To a bright endless Year.

S. M.

John Keble. 1827. a.