Morning and Evening Prayers for All Days of the Week Part 12

Be with Thee all things begun and ended, Who from earth to heaven hast ascended.

Yea, this shall, till life is spent, Be our law and testament.

Albert Knapp, 1829 (1823).

Tr. H. Brueckner, 1918.

Meine Seel, ermuntre dich.

Come, my soul, again inquire If the love of Christ constrain thee.

To His cross again retire; See Him give Himself to gain thee.

Search His faithfulness and try Him, Glad in Him and gladdened by Him.

See Him there, G.o.d's only Son On the tree for thee suspended, Crowned with thorns, by grief undone, Crimson stains with crimson blended, Pierced for thee, transfixed, forsaken: Deathless love by death o'ertaken.

Thou, yea thou hadst known the rod, Endless pain thy sole possession; Thou hadst been cast off by G.o.d For thy multiplied transgression; But the Lord thy cause defended; By His grace thou art befriended.

When in mighty woe He died Vengeance ceased and wrath abated; Sinai was satisfied; All things old were new-created; Sin and death and h.e.l.l were thwarted; Life and health and heaven imparted.

Jesus, grace sufficient give That this mind be ever in me:-- Thine I am; to Thee would live; Naught from Thee shall ever win me.

Thou wilt not forsake nor leave me; Let me, Lord, in love receive Thee.

Johann Caspar Schade, 1692.

Tr. A. Ramsey.

So nimm denn meine Haende.

Take, then, my hands, O Father, And lead Thou me Until my journey endeth, Eternally.

Alone I will not wander One single day.

Be Thou my true Companion And with me stay.

O cover with Thy mercy My poor, weak heart!

Let ev'ry thought rebellious From me depart.

Permit Thy child to linger Here at Thy feet And blindly trust Thy goodness With faith complete.

Though naught of Thy great power May move my soul, With Thee through night and darkness I reach the goal.

Take, then, my hands, O Father, And lead Thou me Until my journey endeth, Eternally.

Julie von Haussmann.

Tr. H. Brueckner, 1916.

Jesu, geh voran.

Jesus, still lead on, Till our rest be won; And although the way be cheerless, We will follow, calm and fearless, Guide us by Thy hand To our fatherland.

If the way be drear, If the foe be near, Let not faithless fears o'ertake us, Let not faith and hope forsake us; For through many a foe To our home we go.

When we seek relief From a long-felt grief, When temptations come alluring, Make us patient and enduring; Show us that bright sh.o.r.e Where we weep no more.

Jesus, still lead on, Till our rest be won; Heavenly Leader, still direct us, Still support, console, protect us, Till we safely stand In our fatherland.

Nicolaus Ludwig v. Zinzendorf, 1721.

Tr. Jane Borthwick, 1846. a.

Befiehl du deine Wege.

Commit thy ways and faring With all that grieves thy soul, To His e'er faithful caring Who doth the heavens control; Who giving course and highway To clouds and winds and breeze, Will find for thee a byway Where thou canst fare at ease.

But thou must trust Him wholly To make thy welfare sure; And look to His work solely To have thy works endure.

G.o.d lets none s.n.a.t.c.h a blessing By fretful grief and care Nor one's own self-distressing; It must be got by prayer.

Thy faithfulness unfailing, O Father, and Thy grace Mark good or ill prevailing Amongst this mortal race; Then what Thou wilt decreeing And pressing on with ease, Thou bring'st to pa.s.s and being Whate'er Thy counsels please.

All ways do Thine possessing, Thou lack'st not means nor might.

Thy deed is purest blessing, Thy path serenest light.

And none Thy work can hinder, Nor can Thy labors rest Whenever Thou wouldst render Thy children what is best.

Though devils all endeavor, And fain would work defeat, Beyond all doubt soever The Lord will not retreat.

Whatever He proposes, Whate'er He takes in hand, Whene'er His set time closes Will come to pa.s.s as planned.

Hope on, poor soul, and bravely; Hope on, no more perplexed.

G.o.d from those deeps will save thee Where thou by griefs art vexed.

With grace will He secure thee; But wait His time as thine, And thou wilt see most surely The sun of gladness s.h.i.+ne.

Up! Up! Away with grieving.

Bid anxious fret begone, Thy heart its sadness leaving, Its woes ne'er dwelt upon.

Though thou, who dost not govern, Canst naught at all compel, G.o.d sits enthroned and sov'reign And doeth all things well.

Let Him, a Ruler knowing, Arrange for thee, and do.

Thou'lt see with wonder growing How He will bring thee through; And how, by means most seemly, By counsels wondrous deep, He bears Himself supremely In works which thou dost weep.

True, He awhile will tarry, His comforting delayed, And seem Himself to carry As minded not to aid; May seem to turn Him from thee, Nor e'en, though o'er and o'er Thy cares and griefs o'ercome thee To ask about thee more.

But though thou seem neglected, And yet believing be, When least by thee expected Will He deliver thee.

Thy heart will He deliver From all its burd'ning woe Which thou, unharmed however, Hast carried hitherto.