Paul Gerhardt's Spiritual Songs Part 29

Here grows up a prudent son, And a n.o.ble daughter there; One will be the other's crown, One the other's rest from care Each will be the other's light, But from both 'tis hidden quite,

Till it's pleasing in His sight Who the world holds in His pow'r, To all giveth what is right Freely in th' appointed hour; Then appears in word and deed What hath been by Him decreed.

Then Ahasuerus' eye First doth quiet Esther see; To where Sara peacefully Dwells, Tobias leadeth He; David then, with pliant will, Fetcheth prudent Abigail.

Jacob flees from Esau's face, And he meeteth Rachel fair; Joseph in a foreign place Serves, and winneth Asnath there; Moses did with Jethro stay, And bore Zipporah away.

Each one taketh, each doth find What the Lord doth choose for him; What in Heaven is design'd, Comes to pa.s.s on earth in time.

And whatever happens thus Order'd wisely is for us.

This or that might better be, Oft this foolish thought is ours; But as midnight utterly Fails to be like noonday's hours, So the feeble mind of man G.o.d's great wisdom cannot scan.

Whom G.o.d joins together live, What the best is knoweth He, Our thoughts only can deceive, His from all defects are free; G.o.d's work standeth firm for aye, When all other must decay.

Look at pious children who Enter'd have the holy state, How well for them G.o.d doth do, See what joys upon them wait; To their doings G.o.d doth send Evermore a happy end.

Of their virtues the renown Blossometh for evermore, As a shadow when is gone Of all other love the flow'r; When truth faileth everywhere, Their's still bloometh fresh and fair,

Fresh their love is evermore, Ever doth its youth renew, Love their table covers o'er, Sweetens all they say and do.

Love their hearts aye giveth rest, When they're burden'd and oppress'd.

Though things oft go crookedly, Even then this love is still, Can the cross bear patiently, Thinking 'tis the Father's will.

From this thought doth comfort taste, Better days will come at last

Meanwhile streams of blessing gives G.o.d with bounty rich and free, Mind and body He relieves, And the house too foundeth He; What is small and men despise, Makes He great and multiplies.

And when all is over here That the Lord designs in love, For His faithful children dear, Taketh them to courts above, And with great delight in grace Folds them in His warm embrace.

Now 'tis ever full of heart, Full of comfort flowing o'er, Full of wonder, full of art, Full of wisdom, full of pow'r, Full of wonder, still I say, Is love's chaste and gentle sway.

[10]This song used to be sung in Germany after wedding dinners, and in some places on the way to church before solemnization.

SONG OF CONSOLATION FOR MARRIED CHRISTIANS.

Oh, Jesus Christ! how bright and fair The state of holy marriage where Thy blessing rich is given What gracious gifts Thou dost bestow, What streams of blessing ever flow Down from Thy holy heaven, When they True stay To Thee ever, Leave Thee never, Whose troth plighted, In one life have been united.

When man and wife are mated well, In harmony together dwell, Are faithful to each other, The streams of bliss flow constantly What bliss of angels is on high From hence may we discover; No storm, No worm Can destroy it, Can e'er gnaw it, What G.o.d giveth To the pair that in Him liveth.

He giveth of His grace the boon, And in its bosom late and soon His own belov'd He keepeth, His arms He daily spreadeth o'er, Guards as a Father by His pow'r Us and our house, nor sleepeth.

Still we Must be Here and thither Roaming ever, Till He gives us Pious homes, and thus relieves us.

The husband's like a goodly tree Whose branches spread so fair and free; The wife a vine that giveth Much fruit, and nurtures what it bears, Whose fruit increaseth with the years, Fruit that remains and liveth.

Jewel, All hail!

Husband's treasure!

House's pleasure!

Crown of honour!

On His throne G.o.d thinketh on her.

O wife! the Lord hath chosen thee That from thy womb brought forth should be The folk His church that buildeth; His wondrous work goes on for aye, The mighty word His mouth doth say, What thou beholdest, yieldeth, Sons fair Stand there, Daughters sitting Working, knitting, Finely spinning, And with art time wisely winning.

Be of good cheer, it was not we Who first this order did decree, It was a higher Father, Who lov'd and loveth us for aye, And from whose lips when griev'd each day We friendly counsel gather; Good end He'll send, What we're doing And pursuing, Or conceiving Wise and happy issue giving.

A time will come, it cannot fail, When we 'neath trials sore shall quail, And tears be freely flowing; To him who bears it patiently, By G.o.d's grace shall his sorrow be Turn'd into joy o'erflowing.

Toil now, Wait thou, He arriveth Who rest giveth, Who can ever Banish care and soon deliver.

Come hither then, my King so bless'd!

In trials guide, in pain give rest, In anxious times relieving!

To Thee we shall ascribe the praise, Our hearts and voices we shall raise In one loud song, thanks giving, Till we With Thee Ever dwelling, And fulfilling Thy will ever, Thy name cease to praise shall never.

Of Death, the Last Day, and Eternal Life.

OF DEATH AND DYING.--PSALM XC.

Lord G.o.d! Thou art for evermore Thy people's habitation, And Thou existence hadst before Was laid the earth's foundation!

Ere yet the hills began to be Thou lived'st in eternity, Of all things the beginning!

Thou lettest all the crowds of men Through death's dark portals wander, And biddest them return again, Those others follow yonder.

With Thee a thousand years are aye Like watch of night or yesterday When it is gone for ever.

Thou lettest the base hosts of men E'en as a stream be flowing, And as a ship upon the main That fav'ring winds are blowing, And as a sleep and dream of night That when men wake at morning light They can no more remember.

We're like an herb that early dies, Or gra.s.s in fields that groweth, That in the morning flourishes, Ere night the mower moweth.

So is't with man: he blooms to-day, To-morrow he is borne away If but a breath doth touch him!

Because Thy wrath 'gainst us doth glow, Lord! we so early vanish, And for our sins Thou lay'st us low, And from Thy face dost banish.

Our sins Thou sett'st before Thine eyes, Then doth Thine indignation rise In Thine heart ever holy!

This fire it is consumes in all Our bones the marrow ever; And hence it is that great or small From death escapeth never.

And hence our days are pa.s.sing o'er Like tales that oft beguile an hour And that are soon forgotten.

And scarcely doth our life on earth To seventy years last even; And what are all our labours worth If four-score years be given.

What is the sum of all our gain From youth to age, but toil and pain, Heart-sorrow and vexation?

We're ever toiling full of care, And ere we do bethink us To stop our work, lo! death is there, Into the grave to sink us.

And speedily we pa.s.s away, Yet of their end none ever stay To think, nor of G.o.d's anger.

O teach us, Lord! to think each day Upon this earth's affliction, That when we think on death we may Grow wiser by reflection.

Ah! turn on us again Thy face And be at peace, O G.o.d of grace!