1851, no. 113. Stanzas III-V were favorites with J. S. Bach and used by him in his St. Matthew and St. John Passion Music."

A free translation in long metre by J. Wesley, of stanzas I, III, IV, VI, VIII-XI, XVI, in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1740 (P. Works, 1868-72, vol. I, p. 232), and thence in the Wesleyan H. Bk., 1780, and since in other hymn books of the Methodists. The translation of stanzas IX-XI, XVI, beginning "My Savior, how shall I proclaim" were included in the American Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858, and the Baptist Service of Song, Boston, 1871.

2. See, World, upon the bloody tree.

A translation by P. H. Molther of stanzas I-X in the Moravian H. Bk., 1742, 1754. In the 1789 and 1886 eds. it is altered to “See, World, upon the shameful tree.” The hymn appears in several English hymn books in different abridged forms.

3. O, World! behold upon the tree.

A good translation omitting stanza VII, by Miss Winkworth, in the 2d Series, 1858, of her Lyra Ger., and thence in Schaff's Christ in Song ed. 1869, p. 174, and slightly altered and beginning:

"Lord, be Thy Cross before our sight."

4. Here, World, see thy Redeemer.

In Kennedy, 1863.

In the Suppl. to Ger. Psalmody, ed. 1765, p. 16.

5. O World! attention lend it.

J. Gambold, as no. 442 in pt. I of the Moravian H. Bk., 1754. Altered to "O World, see thy Creator." (1886, no. 94.)

6. O World! see thy life languish.

J. D. Burns, in the Family Treasury, 1859, pt. I, p. 54, also in his Memoir and Remains, 1869, p. 246.

J. Gambold in Part I of the 1734 edition of the Moravian Hymn Book.

Thy Healer sinks in death:

The sov'reign Prince of Glory

(Tis no fictitious story)

With Shame and torment yields his Breath.

P. H. Molther in Part I of the 1754 edition of the Moravian Hymn Book.

Note in the above stanzas the inconsistencies in capitalization.

2. Up, Up, my heart, with gladness, Receive.

H. L. Frothingham, in his Metrical Pieces, 1870, p. 228.

O du allersüszste Freude!-(Goed. 76.)

[Whitsuntide.]

First published in the 3d ed., 1648, of Crü. Praxis, no. 155 in 10 stanzas of 8 lines; thence in Wackernagel: no. 30; Bachmann: no. 10. Cf. Koch IV, 232.

This is a fine hymn of supplication to the Holy Spirit for His gifts and graces. It is widely popular in Germany, and is included in the Berlin G. L. S.: 1863, no. 366. Through the version of J. C. Jacobi it has also been very largely used in various forms, in Great Britain and America.

English Versions:

I. O Thou sweetest source of gladness.

A full and good translation by J. C. Jacobi, in his Psal. Ger., 1725, pt. II, p. 6. Jacobi's stanzas I-IV, IX, X, were considerably altered, as "Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness," by A. M. Toplady, in the Gospel Magazine, June, 1776. In Sedgwick's ed. of Toplady's Hymns and Sacred Poems, 1860, p. 169, these stanzas appear:

The alteration in Sedgwick is, therefore, as follows:

Gerhardt: I II III IV V VI VII (VIII IX) X
Toplady: I 3

2

4

5

6

The hymn appears in many centos, though it usually begins with the first stanza of the text above, "Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness." There are many centos in the original metre, but other metre has been employed also,

as:

(1) 8.7.8.7.4.7 metre. Cf. a greatly altered version of stanzas I, III, in Bickersteth's Christian Psalmody, 1883.

(2) 8.7.8.7. metre. 10 centos. Cf. Cong. H. Book, 1836, 2 stanzas, and Pennsylvania Lutheran Ch. Book, 1868, in 3 stanzas of 8 lines.

Other centos are:

(1) Holy Spirit, Source of gladness, in the American Unitarian Bk. of Hymns 1848, and other collections.

(2) Come, Thou Source of sweetest gladness, in Stopford Brooke's Christian Hymns, 1881. Both these centos are altered forms of the Jacobi-Toplady text.

A good translation, omitting stanzas VIII and IX, by Miss Winkworth, in her Lyra Ger., 2d Series, 1858, p. 55, and again, altered in metre, as "Sweetest Fount of holy gladness," in her C. B. for England, 1863, no. 73. In this, stanzas II and IV, as in Lyra Ger., are omitted. From this text is derived no. 408 of the American Hymns of the Spirit, 1864. Cf. also no. 108 in Stryker's Christian Chorals, N. Y., 1885, which is taken from the Chorale Book text.

Selected Stanzas:

J. C. Jacobi, 1722, altered by A. M. Toplady, 1776, in the Schaff-Gilman Library of Religious Poetry, 1881.

Breathe thy life and spread thy light!

Loving Spirit, God of peace!

Great distributer of grace!

Rest upon this congregation,

Hear, oh, hear our supplication!

Miss Winkworth, in her Chorale Book for England, 1863.

It is based on the Apocryphal book Sirach L. 24, and inspired also of course by the famous hymn of Martin Rinckart10 "Nun danket alle Gott," which may be called the German Te Deum. As a great part of Rinckart's life, was, like Gerhardt's, spent amid the horrors of the Thirty Years' War it is natural that Gerhardt should have been influenced by this voluminous writer. Rinckart's hymn was translated by Miss Winkworth in her Chorale Book, but for some reason she has passed over Gerhardt's verses. As Rinckart was a good musician and his melody11 was well calculated to please the popular ear it is not strange that his hymn has maintained itself ahead of Gerhardt's.

The only English version published is that of J. Kelly, 1867, p. 238.

The translation has much more flowery language than the original and is far less direct, cf. "In grateful songs" as compared with "Nun danket all,” and in the second stanza a virtual repetition of this "with gladsome songs now fill the air" for the very forceful reflexive construction "Ermuntert

10 Cf. p. II.

"The melody as it appeared in Crüger's Praxis, etc., is marked with Crüger's initials, but it was quite likely adapted from a motet by Rinckart.

euch." Throughout the poem the English version brings out more emphatically than the German the idea of life in eternity. Cf. stanza 6:

And may his blessing ever rest.

and the last two lines of stanza 8:

Our portion when from earth we part,
To all eternity.

In the closing stanza the translation by losing the fervor of Gerhardt's verses is almost anticlimactic. The German is a fervent prayer that God may close our eyes and appear to us in eternity, while the English, in too evident an effort to effect a rhyme with rest, would seem to assign to the Deity a place almost secondary in importance to "our eyes." Cf. stanza 9.12

When sinks the heart, when strength decays,

By Him our eyes be press'd

Then may we see His open face,

In everlasting rest.

Zweierlei bitt ich von dir.-(Goed. 80.)

Appeared in Crü. Praxis, 1648, no. 240. Based on Proverbs, XXX, 7-9.

English Version:

I. Twofold, Father, is my pray'r,

Twofold the desire I there

Lay before Thee, who dost give
What's good for us to receive;

Grant the pray'r that Thou dost know,

Ere my soul to Thee must go

From the body's bands below.

J. Kelly, 1867, p. 107.

The rhyme of the German has offered great difficulties in the last three lines of each stanza. The translator's success in meeting this obstacle has been indifferent.

Cf.: