Sunday's Hymn: How Lovely Shines the Morning Star

How lovely shines the Morning Star!
The nations see and hail afar
The light in Judah shining.
Thou David's Son of Jacob's race,
My Bridegroom and my King of Grace,
For thee my heart is pining.
Lowly, holy,
Great and glorious,
Thou victorious
Prince of graces,
Filling all the heav'nly places.

Now richly to my waiting heart,
O thou, my God, deign to impart
The grace of love undying.
In thy blest body let me be,
E'en as the branch is in the tree,
Thy life my life supplying.
Sighing, crying,
For the savor
Of thy favor
Resting never
Till I rest in thee for ever.

Thou, mighty Father, in thy Son
Didst love me ere thou hadst begun
This ancient world's foundation.
Thy Son hath made a friend of me,
And when in spirit him I see,
I joy in tribulation.
What bliss
Is this!
He that liveth
To me giveth
Life forever;
Nothing me from him can sever.

Philipp Nicolai, 1597
Tr., composite
Tune: Wie Schon Leuchtet Der Morgenstern, Philipp Nicolai, 1599
Arr. Johann Sebastian Bach, c. 1730