Come, Jesus, glorious heavenly Guest,
Keep Thine own Christmas in our breast,
Then David’s harp-strings, hushed so long,
Shall swell our jubilee of song.
The Danish hymnologist Brandt has pointed out the distinctive characteristics of his country’s three great hymnists by calling attention to their favorite symbols. That of Kingo was the sun, Brorson’s the rose, and Grundtvig’s the bird. Kingo extols Christ as the risen, victorious Saviour—the Sun that breaks through the dark shades of sin and death. Brorson glorifies Christ as the Friend of the spiritually poor and needy. They learn to know Him in the secret prayer chamber as the Rose that spreads its quiet fragrance. Grundtvig’s hymns are primarily hymns of the Spirit. They laud the Holy Spirit, the Giver and Renewer of life, who bears us up on mighty wings toward the mansions of light.
Among Danes and Norwegians there are few hymns more popular than Grundtvig’s hymn on the Church. The first stanza reads:
Built on the Rock the Church doth stand,
Even when steeples are falling;
Crumbled have spires in every land,
Bells still are chiming and calling;