Presentation of Christ
185
8, 5, 8, 4, 7, 7
In peace and joy I now depart
At God’s disposing;
For full of comfort is my heart,
Soft reposing.
So the Lord hath promised me,
And death is but a slumber.
2. ’Tis Christ that wrought this work for me.
The faithful Savior,
Whom Thou hast made mine eyes to see
By Thy favor.
Now I know He is my Life,
My Help in need and dying.
3. Him Thou hast unto all set forth
Their great Salvation,
And to His kingdom called the earth,
Every nation,
By Thy dear and wholesome Word,
In every place resounding.
4. He is the Hope and saving Light
Of lands benighted;
By Him are they who dwelt in night
Fed and lighted;
He is Israel’s Praise and Bliss,
Their Joy, Reward, and Glory.
Martin Luther, 1524; L. W. Bacon, tr., a.
186
8, 7, 6 l
In His Temple now behold Him,
See the long-expected Lord;
Ancient prophets had foretold Him,
God has now fulfilled His word.
Now to praise Him, His redeemed
Shall break forth with one accord.
2. In the arms of her who bore Him,
Virgin pure, behold Him lie,
While His aged saints adore Him
Ere in faith and hope they die.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Lo, th’ incarnate God most high.
3. Jesus, by Thy presentation,
Thou, who didst for us endure,
Make us see our great salvation,
Seal us with Thy promise sure,
And present us in Thy glory
To Thy Father, cleansed and pure.
H. J. Pye, 1853.
187
8, 7, 6 l
Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story,
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship,
Come and worship;
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
2. Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the heav’nly Light:
Come and worship,
Come and worship;
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
3. Sages, leave your contemplations;
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star:
Come and worship,
Come and worship;
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
4. Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord descending,
In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship,
Come and worship;
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
James Montgomery, 1816, a.
188
L. M.
O dearest Jesus, Thee I pray:
Within my heart now make Thy stay,
That I, like Simeon of old,
By faith may gladly Thee enfold.
2. Thou art my Life and Happiness,
Whom God hath sent my soul to bless;
O cleanse and purify my heart
That from Thy paths I ne’er depart.
3. Lord, with Thy light show me the way
That never I may go astray;
Ward off all sorrow and despair
And let me be Thine own fore’er.
4. Lift up Thy face upon me, Lord,
In life and death Thy help afford;
Then I’ll depart most cheerfully
This life whene’er it pleaseth Thee.
John Mylius, 1596; A. Crull, tr.
189
8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7 (Iambic)
Thank God! my Jesus cleanseth me
From all sins I committed;
He paid my debt and set me free,
I, therefore, am acquitted
Of sin’s and Satan’s bondage fell.
My faith now laughs at death and hell,
Because my life is Jesus.
2. Why should I grieve? He who fulfilled
The Law, thus to release us,
He who His Father’s wrath has stilled
By His own death, this Jesus
Still liveth, and all that He hath
He giveth unto me through faith;
Is there a greater treasure?
3. Because my Jesus cleanseth me
From sin by His own merit,
I am from pain and fear set free,
Death cannot daunt my spirit;
I trust in Jesus’ righteousness,
His innocence and blessedness
Are now my life and treasure.
4. Now I, like Simeon, can end
My life in peace and gladness,
And to my God I can commend
My spirit without sadness;
For when my weary eyes I close,
My death becomes a sweet repose,
I see the joys of heaven.
5. How happy, therefore, shall I be
When life’s frail thread is broken;
When holy angels carry me
To joys that ne’er were spoken;
When I behold Him face to face,
When I have gained that blessed place,
Prepared for me by Jesus.
6. Lord, grant that e’er prepared I be,
That naught from Thee me sever.
And when I die, let me with Thee
In glory live forever;
Come quickly to deliver me,
Lord, by Thy death and agony.
Yea, come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
J. Olearius, 1671; A. Crull, tr.
190
7, 6, 8 l
Light of the Gentile nations,
Thy people’s Joy and Love!
Drawn by Thy Spirit hither,
We gladly come to prove
Thy presence in Thy temple
And seek with earnest mind,
As Simeon once had waited
His Savior God to find.
2. Yea, Lord, Thy servants meet Thee,
E’en now, in every place
Where Thy true Word hath promised
That they should see Thy face.
Thou yet wilt gladly grant us,
Who gather round Thee here,
In faith’s strong arms to bear Thee,
As did that aged seer.
3. Be Thou our Joy, our Brightness,
That shines mid pain and loss,
Our Sun in times of terror,
The Glory round our cross;
A Glow in sinking spirits,
A Sunbeam in distress,
Physician, Friend, in sickness;
In death, our Happiness.
4. Let us, O Lord, be faithful
Like Simeon to the end,
So that his dying anthem
May from our hearts ascend:
“O Lord, now let Thy servant
Depart in peace, I pray,
Since I have seen my Savior,
Have here beheld His day.”
5. My Savior, I behold Thee
Now with the eye of faith;
No foe of Thee can rob me,
Though bitter words he saith.
Within Thy heart abiding,
As Thou dost dwell in me,
No pain, no death, has terrors
To part my soul from Thee.
6. Lord, here on earth Thou seemest
At times to frown on me,
And through my tears I often
Can scarce distinguish Thee;
But in the heavenly mansions
Shall nothing dim my sight,
And I shall see forever
Thine always glorious light.
J. Franck, 1674; C. Winkworth, tr., a.