In my quest for discovering old hymns, I’ve been collecting old hymn books. My sister, Nancy, who was supporting my endeavor, recently brought me an old Lutheran Hymnal that she had picked up at a garage sale. She had put a bookmark with a note on one of the pages.
It was a song our Dad used to sing to us in German when we were children. I imagine his mother sang it to him as well. Sometimes he would play the tune on his violin. Since I had never heard the English version I didn’t know how sweet the words were that he was singing to us. Below you will find the song with German and English words.
Sometimes simple is best. This is one of those times. I hope you enjoy it.
(In the first line there should be an Umlaut over the word Lasst and erlosen. I simply can’t figure out how to type it. Also, please forgive my very rusty German pronunciation.)
God Loves Me Dearly
Gott ist Die Liebe – by August Rische (1819-1906)
Gott ist die Liebe, lasst mich erlosen, Gott ist die Liebe, Er liebt auch mich.
Drum sag ich noch einmal: Gott ist die Liebe! Gott ist die Liebe, Er liebt auch mich.
God loves me dearly, Grants me salvation, God loves me dearly, loves even me.
*Therefore I’ll say again: God loves me dearly, God loves me dearly, Loves even me.
I was in slav’ry, Sin, death, and darkness; God’s love was working to make me free. *
He sent forth Jesus, My dear Redeemer, He sent forth Jesus and set me free. *
Jesus, my Savior, Himself did offer; Jesus, my Savior, Paid all I owed. *
Now I will praise You, O Love Eternal; Now I will praise You all my life long.*
P.S. This is dedicated to my six grandchildren. Ashlee, Arianna, Aidan, Emerson, Will and finally Jase who was born 7-6-2021.
Henry Francis Lyte was born in Ednam, Scotland in 1793. He went on to be a poet, musician, and preacher. “Abide with Me” is probably his most famous hymn. It was published after his death. The following song is also his. The words have been set to a new tune by Bill Moore.
Henry Lyte (1793-1847) / Music Bill Moore (modern)
Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee.
Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shall be.
Perish every fond ambition, All I’ve sought or hoped or known.
Yet how rich is my condition! God and heaven are still my own.
Let the world despise and leave me, They have left my Savior, too.
Human hearts and looks deceive me; Thou art not, like them, untrue.
O while Thou dost smile upon me, God of wisdom, love and might,
Foes may hate and friends disown me, Show Thy face and all is bright.
Man may trouble and distress me. Twill but drive me to Thy breast.
Life with trials hard may press me; Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.
Oh, tis not in grief to harm me while Thy love is left to me;
Oh, twere not in joy to charm me, Were that joy unmixed with Thee.
Go, then, earthly fame and treasure, Come disaster, scorn and pain.
In Thy service, pain is pleasure, With Thy favor, loss is gain.
I have called Thee Abba Father, I have stayed my heart on Thee.
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather; All must work for good to me.
Soul, then know thy full salvation. Rise o’er sin and fear and care.
Joy to find in every station, Something still to do or bear.
Think what Spirit dwells within thee, Think what Fathers smiles are thine.
Think that Jesus died to win thee, Child of heaven, canst thou repine.
Haste thee on from grace to glory, Armed by faith, and winged by prayer.
Heavens eternal days before thee, God’s own hand shall guide us there.
Sometimes I just don’t feel like singing. But first, let me explain…
I grew up in a family that sang often. We sang in church. We sang in the car. We sang outside. We sang around the piano. We sang at school. We all had just ordinary voices, but we sang anyway.
Then I grew up.
Life was hard.
It became harder to sing.
When my Dad got sick with a brain tumor we watched him put his violin aside, and soon his voice was gone too.
It didn’t seem right to sing without him.
After he died it took me a year before I could sing without crying.
Many years later, as my Mother lay dying, the only thing that would make her stop whimpering was if we sang to her. So I found a hymn book and sang softly until my own tears prevented me from continuing. When she would start whimpering again I would sing until she calmed down… until tears choked my voice.
Again and again the cycle repeated itself. Those were hard days, but my sisters and I were glad we could be with her.
There have been other hard days, when singing seemed impossible. Yet, singing should not be dependent on how we feel, but because we owe our God praise.
Below is a song I find myself singing when I don’t feel like singing.
Notice the words in the first verse...”He justly claims a song from me…”
We sing, not because our life is free from trouble. We sing, because we have a Great Redeemer who has rescued our souls from hell.
There will be trouble here. But this isn’t all there is. We have eternity to look forward to. This trouble will seem little when we are face to face with our Savior. In the meantime we remember His care of us in the here and now. We remember that He asks us to sing, to remember, to cling to this God who day by day covers us with His lovingkindness.
David wrote the following words when he had to flee to the wilderness of Judah, when his son, Absalom, took over the throne. (See II Samuel 15:23-30; 17:16)
“Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise Thee.
So I will bless Thee as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Thy name…
For Thou hast been my help, And in the shadow of Thy wings I sing for joy.” Psalm 63:3,4 & 9
David wept when he was in trouble, but he also didn’t stop singing. Neither should we.
Samuel Medley 1738-1799
Awake, my soul in joyful lays, And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise; He justly claims a song from me, His lovingkindness, oh, how free! Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, oh, how free!
He saw me ruined by the fall, Yet loved me not-with-standing all; He saved me from my lost estate, His lovingkindness, oh, how great! Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, oh, how great!
Tho’ numerous hosts of mighty foes, Tho’ earth and hell my way oppose, He safely leads my soul along, His lovingkindness, oh, how strong! Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, oh, how strong!
When trouble, like a gloomy cloud, Has gathered thick and thundered loud, He near my soul has always stood, His lovingkindness, oh, how good! Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, oh, how good!
Soon shall we mount and soar away to the bright realms of endless day, And sing, with rapture and surprise, His lovingkindness, in the skies. Lovingkindness, lovingkindness, His lovingkindness, in the skies.
William Cowper (pronounced Cooper) was born in 1731. He is considered one of England’s finest poets.
His life was filled with melancholy and sometimes despair, which may have had its roots in his mother’s death when he was only six. He was hospitalized on more than one occasion for “madness”. He wrote many hymns that were full of hope instead of the despair he was so familiar with. (God Moves in a Mysterious Way; There is a Fountain Filled with Blood.)
The following hymn is especially hopeful. The encouragement that comes from singing is in the first line. The original tune is one by Hayden – Petition 76.76D. The words also fit nicely with the tune – Sally Garden. There is a modern version by Sweetwaters Music. (I am unable to find the name of the composer.) The version I recorded below is the new version.
Sometimes a light surprises the child of God who sings; the light of one who rises with gentle, healing wings.
When comforts are declining, God grants the soul again A season of clear shining, to cheer it after rain.
In holy contemplation with joy we shall pursue the theme of God’s salvation, and find it ever new.
Set free from present sorrow we cheerfully can say, let the unknown tomorrow bring with it what it may.
It can bring with it nothing but God will bear us through. Who gives the lilies clothing will clothe the people, too.
Beneath the spreading heavens no creature but is fed: the one who feeds the ravens will give the children bread
Though vine and fig tree neither their yearly fruit should bear, though all the fields should wither, nor flocks nor herds be there,
yet God, the same abiding, through praise shall tune my voice, for while in love confiding I cannot but rejoice.
For Further Study: “And he shall be as the light or the morning, like the rising of the sun, A morning without clouds; Whenfrom the sunshine, after rain, the green grass springeth after rain.” II Samuel 23:4
Joseph Hart was a prodigal. Born of Christian parents in 1712, he learned early to fear God and follow His laws. But the world attracted him and his focus shifted to baser things. The early training seems to have been wasted and his life took a decidedly anti-Christian turn. He didn’t just leave his faith, he aggressively attacked it through the things he published.
God still pursued him and Joseph wrestled with God for years. Eventually he turned again to the God who loved him. This time the struggle was between “Earning his salvation”, and “Assuming on God’s grace”. Neither extreme was Biblically sound and eventually he came to a saving knowledge of the one who saves us not because of our merit, but because of His grace. He also bids us to follow him, by leaving our old ways behind. But here I will let him tell you in his own words.
“He hath plucked me from the lowest Hell. He hath plucked me as a brand out of the fire! He hath proved himself stronger than I, and his goodness superior to all my unworthiness. He gives me to know…that without Him I can do nothing…Though an enemy, He calls me his friend; though a traitor a child; though a beggared prodigal, He clothes me with the best robe; and has put a ring of endless love and mercy on my hand,…He secretly shows me His bleeding wounds; and softly and powerfully, whispers to my soul: ‘I am thy great salvation.’ His free distinguishing grace is the bottom on which is fixed the rest of my poor weary tempted soul…When my dry empty barren soul is parched with thirst, He kindly bids me come to Him, and drink my fill at the fountain head. In a word He empowers me to say with experimental evidence, ‘where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.’ Amen and Amen.”
He struggled with assurance of salvation until one Easter he was confronted again by the God who loved him. After being overwhelmed by the suffering Christ he wrote the following hymn. For God uses even our wanderings to Honor Him. He became a preacher in London about 1760. Think of Joseph Hart as you read the words. They are a powerful testimony.
(The chorus was added later by an unknown author. The original tune was also replaced.)
(Joseph Hart 1712-1768)
Come, ye sinners, poor and needy weak and wounded, sick and sore,
Jesus ready stands to save you, full of pity love and power.
Chorus:I will arise and go to Jesus, He will embrace me in His arms.
In the arms of my dear Savior, Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
Come, ye thirsty, come and welcome, God’s free bounty glorify
True belief and true repentance every grace that brings you nigh.
Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness he requireth is to feel your need of him.
Chorus
Come, ye weary, heavy laden lost and ruined by the fall.
If you tarry till you’re better, you will never come at all.
I will rise and go to Jesus! He will save me from my sin.
By the riches of his merit, there is joy and life in him.
Chorus
View Him prostrate in the garden on the ground your Maker lies.
On the bloody tree behold Him sinner will not this suffice?
Lo the incarnate God ascended pleads the merit of His blood
Venture on Him, venture wholly. Let no other trust intrude.
Chorus
For further study: C. H. Spurgeon often quoted from Hart in his sermons. The above hymn being his favorite. He applied it to Hebrews 7:25 “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
(Above information taken from “The Story of the Hymns and Tunes” by Theron Brown and Hezekiah Butterworth – copyright 1906 – American Tract Society. and “www.biblicalstudies.org.uk” – Joseph Hart and his hymns by Peter C. Rae Cowdenbeath. His source was “Hart’s hymns” – Palmer’s edition of 1863.)
Paul Gerhardt’s life was not an easy one. He was a preacher without a parish, tossed from place to place, (Mittenwalde & Berlin) Four of his children died, and at some point his wife also. He had been dismissed from his last church because of disagreements with the Elector Fredrick. He wandered from place to place for two years.
The following hymn was written while he was staying at a wayside inn, homeless and discouraged. After completing it he was finally offered a parish in Lubben where he stayed until his death.
He wrote 123 hymns and was a favorite hymn-writer of the German-speaking people.
Hymn of Trust – (Give to the Winds Thy Fears)
Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676)/William H. Walter
Give to the winds thy fears, hope and be undismayed;
God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears; God shall lift up thy head.
Through waves and clouds and storms, He gently clears the way;
Wait thou His time, so shall this night soon end in joyous day.
Who points the clouds their course, whom wind and seas obey;
He shall direct thy wandering feet, He shall prepare thy way.
Leave to His sov’reign sway to choose and to command,
So shalt thou wond’ring own His way, how wise, how strong His hand!
Thou seest our weakness, Lord, our hearts are known to Thee;
O lift Thou up the sinking heart, confirm the feeble knee.
Commit thou all thy griefs and ways into His hands;
To His sure trust and tender care Who earth and heaven commands.
Let us in life, in death, Thy steadfast truth declare,
And publish with our latest breath Thy love and guardian care.
For further study: I Peter 5:6-7; Philippians 4:6-7; Psalm 125:1; Psalm 37
The older I get the more I struggle with my voice. It doesn’t always cooperate. I had given up putting any more songs up, but then I ran across this quote by Henry Van Dyke.
“Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best.”
So today I am asking you to sing with me. This is also a nod to my Irish Son-in-law, Joshua. “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Be Thou My Vision
Ancient Irish Melody – Translated by Eleanor H. Hull (1860-1935) versified by Mary E. Bryne (1880-1931)
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art –
Thou my best thought by day or by night, waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son; Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one;
Be Thou my battle shield, sword for my fight; Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight,
Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tow’r: Raise Thou me heav’n-ward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Son!
Heart of my own heart, Whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Windows of His Grace 