Here is my composite of the translations for the Sunday Morning hymn “Halleluja! schöner Morgen” (Jonathan Krause, d. 1762), from Ev.-Luth. Gesangbuch #327, originally in the author’s Gnade und Wahrheit Gottes (1739). Stier highly praises the hymn as one of the best for the beginning of the service. In most common usage is Borthwick’s cento of 4 stanzas, usually, without rhymes in the first and third lines. I present here my composite of Manington and Massie (both use rhymes or near-rhymes in the first and third lines) and include the original renderings below as well. The appointed melody is “Gott des Himmels und der Erden.”
HAllelujah! fairest morning,
Fairer far than man can say;
Sorrows flee when thou art dawning,
For thou art a welcome day,
Sent the inmost soul to bless
With thy matchless loveliness!
2 Sweetest rest-day for the weary,
Sunday, full of endless light,
Brilliant day in shadows dreary,
Stream with blessings ever bright.
Hours of all eternal gain,
Chasing all my grief and pain:
3 Ah, I savor there th’ excelling
Grace of God, like early dew,
Beck’ning from my earthly dwelling
To the Father’s pastures true,
Where in verity ’tis told:
“Morning hours have lips of gold.”
4 Rest, my earthly toils enslaving!
This day has a task more blest!
All thy needful strength I’m craving,
That my soul in God may rest;
This day brings no work for me,
But for God I’ll toiling be.
5 What fair dress shall beautify me,
That I may God’s praise declare?
Jesus will the robe supply me—
This I to His honor wear;
Jesus’ blood and righteousness
Are the fairest Sunday dress.
6 I, today, in Zion’s stillness,
Will my every hour employ;
For from thence I reap the fulness
Heav’nly pastures can supply,
When Christ feeds this soul of mine
With the Word of life divine.
7 Lord, awaken all sensation,
And prepare Thyself my heart,
Teach me and give consolation,
To Thy manna zest impart,
Let the sounding of Thy Word
Deep within my heart be heard.
8 Bless Thy servants’ faithful preaching,
Touch their lips with fire: embrace
All who listen to their teaching
In Thy Covenant of Grace,
That, whene’er we pray and sing,
To Thy heart the sound shall ring.
9 Let this Sunday, when ’tis ending,
See the peace it woke, I pray;
Bless and plant, through grace descending,
Lord God of the Sabbath day!
Till in days to come I see
Sabbath hours eternally.
Composite © 2022 Matthew Carver.
Borthwick 1858 etc, omitting st. 5, 7, 8:
ALLELUIA, fairest morning,
Fairer than our words can say!
Down we lay the heavy burden
Of life’s toil and care today,
While this morn of joy and love
Brings fresh vigor from above.
2 Sunday full of holy glory,
Sweetest rest-day of the soul!
Light upon a world of darkness
From thy blessèd moments roll!
Holy, happy, heav’nly day,
Thou canst charm our grief away.
3 Now, I taste my Father’s goodness,
Falling like the morning dew,
While of pastures even fairer
I would take a distant view;
Where my Shepherd’s flock I see,
Where my dwelling soon shall be!
4 Oh, be silent, earthly turmoil!
I have work more sweet and blest,
And each thought would gather homeward
On this happy day of rest:
Thus with clearer faith to see
All my Lord has done for me.
6 In the gladness of His worship
I will seek my joy today;
It is then I learn the fulness
Of the grace for which I pray,
When the word of life is giv’n,
Like the Savior’s voice from Heav’n.
9 Let the day’s sweet hours be ended
Pray’rfully, as they’ve begun,
And Thy blessing, Lord, be granted,
Till earth’s days and weeks are done;
That at last Thy servant may
Keep eternal Sabbath day.
Massie, Day of Rest (1876), p. 35, omitting st. 3, 6
HAllelujah! day of gladness
Sweeter far than words can say,
Not a thought of care and sadness
Can disturb my breast this day;
For it fills my soul with bliss
By its matchless loveliness.
2 Refuge of the sad and weary,
Balm for every wounded breast,
Light in places dark and dreary,
Day which God Himself hath blest,
Sabbath hours! whose cheerful ray
Drives all sorrow far away.
4 Hush all sounds of noisy pleasure,
Cease from toil, ye busy hands;
On this day your strength and leisure
For Himself the Lord demands:
God’s own work alone can be
Fitting on this day for me.
5 What, my God, is the adorning
Which Thou dost from me require?
Pride may deck herself this morning
With bright gems and gay attire:
Lord, adorn me with the dress
Of Thy spotless righteousness!
7 Waken every holy feeling,
Penetrate mine inmost part,
Holy Spirit, come with healing,
Open Thou Thyself, my heart,
That the Word of Life may find
Ready access to my mind.
8 Bless Thy servants’ faithful preaching,
Touch their lips with fire: embrace
All who listen to their teaching
In Thy Covenant of Grace;
Let us when we sing and pray,
From the heart an Amen say!
9 Grant that as we have begun it,
We may also end the day;
Bless Thy Word, and shed upon it
Plenteous grace, that so we may,
Lord, with Thee, when life shall end,
An eternal Sabbath spend.
Alice Manington, Footprints of the Holy Dead, p. 140ff. (omits st. 8).
HAllelujah! beauteous morning,
Brighter than man dare to say;
Sorrows flee when thou art dawning,
For thou art a holy day,
Sent the inmost soul to bless
With thy meed of loveliness!
2 Sweetest rest-day for the weary,
Sunday, full of endless light,
Piercing gloom with rays so cheery,
Stream with blessings ever bright.
Hours of all eternal gain,
Chasing every grief and pain:
3 Of God’s ceaseless goodness telling,
Falling like the early dew,
Beck’ning from my earthly dwelling
To the Father’s pastures true.
Where, in verity, ’tis told:
“Morning hours have lips of gold.”
4 Rest, today, my toil enslaving,
For I’ve other work in store;
All thy needful strength I’m craving,
That my soul on high may soar!
This day brings no work for me,
But for God I’ll toiling be.
5 What dress shall I wrap around me,
That I may God’s praise declare?
Jesus Christ a Robe has found me—
This I to His honor wear;
Jesus’ blood and righteousness
Is my all enduring dress.
6 I, today, in Zion’s stillness,
Will my every hour employ;
For from thence I reap the fulness
Heav’nly pastures can supply,
When Christ feeds this soul of mine
With the bread of life divine.
7 God, arouse my thoughts within me,
Bare to truth my heaving breast;
Let Thy Word sweet comfort bring me,
Give unto Thy manna zest,
That Thy Word, each living sound,
May within my heart rebound.
9 Let this Sunday, when ’tis ending,
See the peace it woke, I pray;
Bless and plant, through grace descending,
Lord God of the Sabbath day!
Till in days to come I see
Sabbath hours eternally.
GERMAN
Hallelujah, schöner Morgen!
schöner als man denken mag:
heute fühl ich keine Sorgen;
denn das ist ein lieber Tag,
der durch seine Lieblichkeit
recht das Innerste erfreut.
2 Süßer Ruhetag der Seelen,
Sonntag, der voll Lichtes ist,
heller Tag in dunkeln Höhlen!
Zeit in der der Segen fließt!
Stunde voller Seligkeit:
du vertreibst mir alles Leid.
3 Ach, wie schmeck ich Gottes Güte
recht als einen Morgenthau;
die mich führt aus meiner Hütte
zu des Vaters grüner Au:
da hat wohl die Morgenstund
edlen Schatz und Gold im Mund.
4 Ruht mir, meine Weltgeschäfte!
Heute hab ich sonst zu thun;
denn ich brauche alle Kräfte,
in dem höchsten Gott zu ruhn;
Heut schickt keine Arbeit sich,
als nur Gotteswerk, für mich.
5 Wie soll ich mich heute schmücken,
daß ich Gott gefallen mag?
Jesus wird die Kleider schicken,
die ich ihm zu Ehren trag.
Sein Blut und Gerechtigkeit ist
da schönste Sonntagskleid.
6 Ich will in der Zionsstille
heute voller Arbeit sein;
denn da sammle ich die Fülle
vonden höchsten Schätzen ein,
wenn mein Jesus meinen Geist
mit dem Wort des Lebens speist.
7 Herr, ermuntre meine Sinnen
und bereite selbst die Brust;
laß mich Lehr und Trost gewinnen,
gieb zu deinem Manna Lust,
daß mir deines Wortes Hall
recht tief in mein Herze fall.
8 Segne deiner Knechte Lehren,
öffne selber ihren Mund,
Mach mit Allen, die dich hören,
heute deinen Gnadenbund,
daß wenn man hier bet’t und singt,
solches in dein Herze dringt.
9 Gieb, daß ich den Tag beschließe,
wie er angefangen ist.
Segne, pflanze und begieße,
der du Herr des Sabbaths bist;
bis ich einst auf jenen Tag
ewig Sabbath halten mag.
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