Liebster Jesu, ich erschein

Here is my translation of the hymn, “Liebster Jesu, ich erschein” (L. Laurentii, 1700), from the author’s Evangelia Melodica for Rogate, the first of two hymns.

Mel. Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier.
 

DEAREST Father, I appear,
And would gladly come before Thee!
To my faithful pray’r give ear,
I in Jesus’ name implore Thee.
Since my Jesus me commanded
Thus to ask with spirit candid.

2 Thou Thyself dost bid me pray
And wilt grant me the receiving
As and what Thy Word doth say;
When in heart I here am grieving,
And my sinful passions mourning,
Hear, appear, my prayer adorning!

3 Hear in Jesus’ name on high,
Father dear, my supplication,
That my faith may multiply,
While this earthly habitation
I must bear, and grant in sorrow
Of Thy boundless joy to borrow.

4 Thus let joy within my heart
Perfect be, and full forever,
And Thy grace's light impart
Unto every true believer
Sweet refreshment, blessed leading
In the strife of faith and pleading

5 What these earthly members need
Thou wilt give me in addition,
Child and wife and servants feed
And sustain at faith's petition.
Let us look first up to heaven
Where the greatest gift is given!

6 Let us so Thy realm pursue
And Thy righteousness seek ever,
That made like Thine image new,
We may praise but Christ the Savior
Who for us hath death sustainèd
And the Life for us obtainèd:

7 Till we there our treasure find
Which our soul entire reneweth,
And the trusting heart and mind
With that heav’nly joy imbueth,
Till the Lord His presence lighteth
In us, and with us uniteth.

8 Since the Father loveth us,
He will pray in us with power,
So that all who seek Him thus
Will find blessings every hour,
And perceive that Christ our Brother
Came forth from the heav’nly Father.

9 Yea, as Jesus came to men
From the Father our Defender,
And revealed himself again
With triumphant vict’ry-splendor,
So at last we, like our Brother,
Shall be going to the Father.

10 Ah, my Father, let me go
From the world, to Thee ascending!
Let me not stand still below,
But, to things above attending,
Come at last and there endeavor,
Thy pure name to praise forever!

Translation © 2026 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Liebster Vater, ich erschein
und will mich zu dir erheben.
Laß im Namen Jesu sein
mein Gebeth erhört im Leben
weil mir Jesus unverhohlen
hat zu Beten so befohlen.

2 Der du selber bitten heißt,
wirst auch geben, daß ich nehme,
wie und was dein Wort verheißt,
wenn ich mich im Herzen gräme,
und die Sündenlust beweine,
so erhöre und erscheine.

3 Ja im Namen Jesu hör,
liebster Vater, was ich bitte,
daß mein Glaube sich vermehr,
solang ich noch diese Hütte
tragen muß, so gib im Leiden
überschwinglich deine Freuden.

4 Daß die Freude möge sein
in dem Herzen vollenkommen
und dein Gnadenlicht und Schein
mich und alle wahre Frommen
süß erquick und selig leite
in dem Glaubens-kampf und Streite.

5 Was bedarf der arme Leib,
das wirst du im Zufall geben
und was Kind, Gesind und Weib
nötig haben zu dem Leben;
laß uns trachten erst nach droben,
da das größte aufgehoben.

6 Laß uns stets nach deinem Reich
und Gerechtigkeit so trachten,
daß wir deinem Bilde gleich
werden, und allein hoch achten
Jesum, der für uns gestorben,
und das Leben uns erworben.

7 Bis wir finden unsern Schatz,
der das ganze Herz erneuet,
und die Freude finde Platz,
welche Seel und Geist erfreuet
bis sich Jesus offenbaret
in uns, und sich mit uns pähret.

8 Dann, weil uns der Vater liebt,
wird er in uns kräftig bethen
daß der Himmel alles giebt
denen, die zum Vater treten,
daß wir spüren nauch Verlangen,
daß er von Gott ausgegangen.

9 Ja wie Jesus in die Welt
von dem Vater ausgegangen
und sich wiederdargestellt,
mit Triumpf und SIegesprangen,
so wird endlich auch geschehen
daß wir zu dem Vater gehen.

10 Ach mein Vater, laßt mich gehn
aus der Welt, zu dir erhoben,
laß mich nimmer stille stehn
sondern suchen, was dort oben
da ich deinen heilgen Namen
ewig werde preisen. Amen.

Du unbegreiflichs höchstes Gut

Here is my translation of the hymn on union with God, “Du unbegreiflichs höchstes Gut” (Joachim Neander, d. 1680), in NEGB #205 with melody assignment “O Jesu Christe, wahres Licht,” originally published in 6 stanzas in the author’s Glaub- und Liebes-Übung (Bremen, 1679) with title “The one crying as a hart, Ps. 42:2,” soon taken up into Halberstadt 1699, Freylinghausen 1704, Praxis 1712, etc. It was further expanded by Leopold Franz Friedrich Lehr with 6 stanzas of responses by the Savior, transforming it into a dialog-hymn, e.g., in Wernigeröde Gsb 1735. I give this as an alternate below.

 

O HIGHEST Good, all things above,
To which my soul doth cling in love:
I thirst, O Fount of Life, for Thee.
Oh, help! Oh, run! Oh, come to me!

2 I am a hart that pants for thirst,
O Christ, with mighty heat I burst,
But Thou a cooling water art:
Refresh this deer so faint at heart!

3 To Thee with silent voice I grieve;
I groan, O Lord! my sigh perceive,
Perceive it, O Thou Fount of grace,
Refresh my soul, hot from the chase.

4 I have no water in supply;
Lord Jesus! draw me to Thee nigh—
For Thee great thirst is driving me,
Oh, to be joined as one in Thee!

5 Where art Thou then, O Bridegroom mine?
Where feedest Thou, O Lamb divine?
At what sweet water liest? Oh, where?
I thirst! Oh, let me join Thee there!

6 I can do naught, I am too frail,
I cry, I thirst, to Thee I wail:
The hart requires Thy draft divine,
For Thou art his, and he is Thine!

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

LEHR’S EXPANDED FORM:

The Soul:
O highest Good, all things above,
To which my soul doth cling in love:
I thirst, O Fount of Life, for Thee.
Oh, help! Oh, run! Oh, come to me!

The Savior:
2 Who is’t that with such anguish whines?
Is’t thou, dear soul that seeking pines?
I am not far; nay, I am nigh,
With all My bounties from on high.

The Soul:
3 I am a hart that pants for thirst,
O Christ, with mighty heat I burst,
But Thou a cooling water art:
Refresh this deer so faint at heart!

The Savior:
4 Come, weary lamb! Here is My Blood,
Which does the soul’s affliction good.
Unhesitating drink it down
And treat it as thy drink alone.

The Soul:
5 To Thee with silent voice I grieve;
I groan, O Lord! my sigh perceive,
Perceive it, O Thou Fount of grace,
Refresh my soul, hot from the chase.

The Savior:
6 I know, O soul, thy torments all,
How many tears thine eyes let fall;
Yet none is felt or falls in vain;
Here let thine eyes their comfort gain.

The Soul:
7 I have no water in supply;
Lord Jesus! draw me to Thee nigh—
For Thee great thirst is driving me,
Oh, to be joined as one with Thee!

The Savior:
8 I draw thee, soul, most certainly!
Yea, this thy feeble, woeful plea
Is in itself a mighty leap:
Thou com’st, and I thy soul will keep.

The Soul:
9 Where art Thou then, O Bridegroom mine?
Where feedest Thou, O Lamb divine?
At what sweet water liest? Oh, where?
I thirst! Oh, let me join Thee there!

The Savior:
10 There—there I lie, and there I feed,
Where for My help My people plead:
There springs the fountain of My grace,
Where help is found no other place.

The Soul:
11 I can do naught, I am too frail,
I cry, I thirst, to Thee I wail:
The hart requires Thy draft divine,
For Thou art his, and he is Thine!

The Savior:
12 Dear soul, if thou art well disposed,
Then drink, and let thy thirst be
Here is My heart! I still am thine,
And thou shalt evermore be Mine.

Translation © 2023 Matthew Carver.

GERMAN

Du unbergreiflich höchstes gut,
An welchem liebt mein herz und muth,
Ich dürst, o lebensquell, nach dir,
Ach hilf! ach lauf! ach komm zu mir.

2 Wer winselt denn so ängstiglich?
Bist du's, a seele! suchst du mich?
Ic bin nicht fern; ich bin dir ja
Mit allen meinen gütern nah.

3 Ich bin ein hirsch, der durstig ist
vor grosser gitz; du Jesu! bist
Vor diesen hirsch ein seelen-trank:
Erquicke mich, denn ich bin krank.

4 Komm, mattes lamm! hir ist mein blut,
Das ist vor seelen krankheit gut.
O! trink es ohne scheu hinein,
Und thu, als wärs vor dich allein.

5 Ich schreye zu dir ohne stimm!
Ich seufze nur, o Herr, vernim,
Vernim es doch, o gnaden-quell!
Und labe meine dürre seel.

6 Ic weiß, o seele! deine quaal,
Ich kenne deiner seufzer zahl,
Und keiner ist umsonst geschehn;
Das soll dein thränend auge sehn.

7 Ein frisches wasser fehlet mir,
Herr Jesu! zieh, zieh mich nach dir,
Nach dir ein grosser durst mich treibt,
Ach wär ich dir schon einverleibt.

8 In seele, ja ich ziehe schon
Und selbst dein schwacher jammer-ton
Ist ein erhitzt und starker lauf,
Du kommst schon; und ich nehm dich auf.

9 Wo bist du denn, o bräutigam?
Wo weidest du, o Gottes-lamm?
An welchem brünnlein ruhest du?
Mich dürster, laß mich auch darzu.

10 Da, da ist meine ruh und weid,
Wo man nach meiner hülfe schreyt:
Da quillt der brunnen meiner gnad,
Wo man sonst keine hülf mehr hat.

11 Ich kan nicht mehr, ic bin zu schwach,
Ic schreye, dürst, und ruf dir nach.
Der hirsch muß bald gekühlet seyn:
Er ist ja dein und du bist sein.

12 Wohlan! so bist du recht geschickt,
So trinke denn und werd erquickt.
Hier ist mien herz! ich bleibe dein;
Und du sollst ewig meine seyn.

Ach, mein Herr Jesu, dein Nahesein

 Here is my supplement, composite, and correction of a few partial and heterometrical translations of the Prayer hymn “Ach, mein Herr Jesu, dein Nahesein” (Christian Gregor, d. 1801), a Moravian hymn with a decided pietistic flavor, found in Ev.-Luth. Gesangbuch #233, originally appearing in the Brethren hymnal of 1778. Fischer says: “The tenth stanza, of specifically Moravian content, was omitted in our [Lutheran] hymnals.” He also notes that the original text was set to a newer form of Luther’s “Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist” which had been put into treble time. A nine-stanza translation, but with iambic endings in the 3rd and 4th line, set to a 4/4 version of the melody, is found in the Moravian Liturgy and the Offices (1908), p. 303f., in a translation by Edward Reynolds, which also omits the 10th stanza. In my composite, drawing on Reynolds predominantly, but also Winkworth and the older Moravian translation, as well as this one, I have sought to conform everything to the meter of Luther’s original (9.9.11.10.4) with the final line trochaic rather than iambic, so that it may be sung with the form familiar, e.g., from The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), which differs slightly from that of Layriz (below).

THY nearness, Lord Jesus, doth impart
Mighty peace unto the longing heart,
And Thy gracious smile us with blessing filleth,
Soul and body with sweet pleasure thrilleth,
That we thank Thee.

2 Not yet do we see Thy friendly face,
Nor with eyes behold its love and grace,
But within our soul we can surely feel Thee,
For to sense Thou canst clearly reveal Thee,
Though we see not!

3 Were we but all minded day and night
To enjoy Thee, O what high delight
Would both soul and body taste in Thy favor!
And would have to ask of Thee, Dear Savior,
“Who is like Thee?”

4 Kind, patient, and merciful to be,
Sin forgiving daily, bounteously,
To heal, cheer, and comfort, and show’r Thy blessing
On us, tenderly Thy love expressing
Is Thy pleasure.

5 For Thy salvation, Lord, hear our pray’r,
Daily give us an abundant share;
May our souls and senses without cessation,
Prompted by love and for consolation,
Look to Thee, Lord.

6 In sorr’wing hours comfort us at once
With Thy blood-strewn dying countenance,
Yea, forever let the Cross stand before us,
And in constant view keep Thy true, glorious
Life within us.

7 A heartfelt life and a childlike mind
Lord, at all times may’st Thou in us find!
And from Thy wounds may we receive the powèr
Through life’s weal and woe in every hou-r
To embrace Thee.

8 So shall we all, till Thy heav’n we see,
Evermore like children joy in Thee,
Though, while here we tarry, we’re often grievèd,
May we turn to Thee and be relievèd
In all sorrows.

9 Thou reachest down Thy nail-piercèd hand,
And before Thy cross ashamed we stand,
All Thy faithful suff’rings for us recalling,
Till our tears as torrents are falling
In thanksgiving.

10 The tender kiss of Thy lips so pale,
Gives our heart a wound that ne’er shall fail,
And the crimson show’r of Thy lifeblood flowing,
Makes the soul and body, sense and knowing
Thine resemble.

Composite (stanzas 1–9) © 2022 Matthew Carver.
Translation (stanza 10) © 2022 Matthew Carver.

REYNOLDS

Jesus, my Lord, Thy nearness doth impart
Sweet peace and gladness to the longing heart,
Thy gracious smile infuse a joyous thrill,
And soul and body with sweet pleasure fill,
And thankfulness.

2 We see not with our eyes Thy friendly face,
So full of kindness love and gentle grace;
But in our hearts we know that Thou art here,
For Thou canst make us feel Thy presence near,
Although unseen.

3 Whoever makes it life’s chief aim and end
To have his happiness on Thee depend,
In him a well of joy forever springs,
And all day long his heart is glad, and sings,
“Who is like Thee.”

4 To meet us ever with a friendly face,
In mercy, patience, and the kindest grace,
Daily Thy rich forgiveness to bestow
To comfort, heal, in peace to bid us go,
Is Thy delight.

5 Lord, for Thy rich salvation, hear our prayer,
And daily give us an abounding share,
And let our souls in all their poverty,
From deepfelt love be looking unto Thee
Till life’s last end.

6 In sorr’wing hours may our o’erflowing eyes
For comfort look to Thy dear Sacrifice;
And, with Thy Cross before us, may we find
Thy genuine image, stamped upon our mind
In constant view!

7 Lord, at all times may’st Thou within us find
A loving spirit and a childlike mind;
And from Thy wounds may we receive the power
Through all life’s weal and woe in every hour
To cling to Thee.

8 Thus, till the heav’ns receive us, shall we be
Like children, finding all our joys in Thee;
And though the tears of sorrow oft must fall,
Yet if Thou to our hearts art All in all,
Sweet peace will come.

9 Thy wounded hands, dear Savior, as a Friend,
Thou dost to us in faithfulness extend;
At the sad sight our tears of grief must flow,
And conscious shame come o’er us as we go,
With thankful praise.

WINKWORTH (omits 4, 10)

Oh dearest Lord! to feel that Thou art near
Brings deepest peace, and hushes every fear;
To see Thy smile, to hear Thy gracious voice,
Makes soul and body inwardly rejoice
With praise and thanks.

2 We cannot see as yet Thy glorious face,
Not yet our eyes behold its love and grace,
But Thee our inmost soul can surely feel,
Oh clearly, Lord, canst Thou Thyself reveal,
Though all unseen!

3 Oh well for him who ever day and night
Still only seeks to feed on Thee aright!
In him a well of joy for ever springs,
And, all day long his heart is glad and sings:
Who is like Thee?

5 For Thou dost love to meet us as a Friend,
Our comfort, healing, hope, and joy to send;
Patient to pity and to calm our woe,
And daily to forgive us all we owe,
Of Thy rich grace.

6 Or though we weep soon bid our tears to cease,
And make us feel how strong Thy love and peace;
And let the soul see Thee within, and learn
From need and love alike to Thee to turn
With ceaseless gaze.

7 A warm and loving heart, a childlike mind,
Through every change mayst Thou within us find;
The comfort of Thy holy sorrows keep
Our hearts at rest, in peace most calm and deep,
In joy or woe!

8 So shall we all, until Thy heaven we see,
Like children evermore be glad in Thee,
Though many a time the sudden tear may start,--
If only Thou wilt touch the throbbing heart
And still its pain!

9 Thou reachest down to us Thy wounded hand,
And at Thy cross, dear Lord, ashamed we stand,
Remembering all Thy truth through weal and woe,
Until our eyes with tears must overflow
Of thanks and praise.

GERMAN

Ach, mein Herr Jesu, dein Nahesein
bringt großen Frieden ins Herz hinein;
und dein Gnadenanblick macht uns so selig,
daß auch's Gebein darüber fröhlich
und dankbar wird.

2 Wir sehn dein freundliches Angesicht
voll Huld und Gnade wohl lieblich nicht;
aber unsre Seele kann's schon gewahren:
du kannst dich fühlbar g'nug offenbaren,
auch ungesehn.

3 O wer nur immer bei Tag und Nacht
dein zu genießen recht wär bedacht!
der hätt ohn Ende von Glück zu sagen,
und Leib und Seele müßt immer fragen,
Wer ist wie du?

4 Barmherzig, gnädig, geduldig sein,
uns täglich reichlich die Schuld verzeihn,
heilen, still'n und trösten, erfreuen und segnen,
und unsrer Seele als Freund begegnen,
ist deine Lust.

5 Ach gieb an deinem kostbaren Heil
uns alle Tage vollkommen Theil,
und laß unsre Seele sich immer schicken
aus Noth und Leide nach dir zu blicken
ohn Unterlaß.

6 Und wenn wir weinen, so tröst uns bald
mit deiner blutigen Todsgestalt;
ja, die laß uns immer vor Augen schweben
und dein wahrhaftiges Inunsleben
zu sehen sein.

7 Ein herzlichs Wesen und Kindlichkeit
sei unsre Zierde zu aller Zeit,
und die Blutbesprengung aus deinen Wunden
erhalt uns solche zu allen Stunden
der Freud und Leid.

8 So werden wir bis in Himm'l hinein
mit dir vegnügt wie die Kindlein sein;
muß man gleich die Wangen noch manchmal netzen:
wenn sich das Herz nur an dir stets setzen
und stillen kann.

9 Du reichst uns deine durchgrabne Hand,
die so viel Treue an uns gewandt,
daß wir beim Drandenken beschämt dastehen
und unser Auge muß zübergehen
vor Lob und Dank.

10 Der Küß von deinem erblaßten Mund
macht und erhält unser Herz verwundt,
und die Ueberströmung mit deinem Blute
macht uns nach Seele, Leib, Sinn und Muthe
dir ähnlich sein.