236. Since Jesus is my Friend
Paul Gerhardt, 1607-76
Tr. by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-78
A hymn of consolation and joy to give strength and courage to troubled hearts. It is based on Romans 8:31: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” The original has 15 stanzas. The lines translated here are as follows:
Hab ich das Haupt zum Freunde
Und bin geliebt bei Gott,
Was kann mir tun der Feinde
Und Widersacher Rott’?
Sein Geist spricht meinem Geiste
Manch süsses Trostwort zu,
Wie Gott dem Hülfe leiste
Der bei ihm suchet Ruh.
Mein Herze geht in Sprüngen
Und kann nicht traurig sein,
Ist voller Freud’ und Singen,
Sieht lauter Sonnenschein.
Die Sonne, die mir lachet
Ist mein Herr Jesus Christ,
Das, was mich singen machet,
Ist, was im Himmel ist.
For comments on the author, Paul Gerhardt, see [Hymn 134].
The translation by Miss Winkworth appeared in her Lyra Germanica, first series, 1855.
Catherine Winkworth, an English poet, was the foremost translator of German chorales. She made a special study of the German hymns and hymn writers and is the author of Lyra Germanica, 1st. ser., 1855; 2d. ser., 1858; The Chorale Book for England, 1863; and Christian Singers of Germany, 1869. Twenty-five of her works are found in the Hymnary. She was a member of the Church of England.
MUSIC. GREENWOOD was composed for the hymn beginning, “We lift our hearts to Thee,” in a Collection of Church Music, 1849, by Root and Sweetser.
The composer, Joseph Emerson Sweetser, 1825-73, was an English organist and composer of vocal music. A part of his life was spent in New York City as organist at the Church of the Puritans.