Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Hymn: Faith is a Living Power from Heaven.


Words:
Petrus Herbert, in the Bo­hem­i­an Breth­ren’s Kirch­en­ge­seng, 1566; translated from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, Lyra Ger­man­ica, se­cond ser­ies, 1858.

Faith is a living power from Heaven
That grasps the promise God hath given,
A trust that cannot be o’erthrown,
Fixed heartily on Christ alone.
 -
Faith finds in Christ whate’er we need
To save or strengthen us indeed,
Receives the grace He sends us down,
And makes us share His cross and crown.
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Faith in the conscience worketh peace,
And bids the mourner’s weeping cease;
By faith the children’s place we claim,
And give all honor to one Name.
-
Faith feels the Spirit’s kindling breath
In love and hope that conquer death;
Faith worketh hourly joy in God,
And trusts and blesses e’en the rod.
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We thank Thee then, O God of Heaven,
That Thou to us this faith hast given
In Jesus Christ Thy Son, who is
Our only fount and source of bliss.
-
And from His fullness grant each soul
The rightful faith’s true end and goal,
The blessedness no foes destroy,
Eternal love and light and joy.

(What a beautiful translation this is)
We'll have to give the voice another year or two.

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