All My Heart This Night Rejoices

ALL MY HEART THIS NIGHT REJOICES

For Christmas

Version 1

Compare: All My Heart This Night Rejoices - Version 2
All My Heart With Joy Is Springing - Translation by Dr. B. H. Kennedy, 1863

Words: Fröhlich soll mein Herze springen, Paul Gerhardt, from Crüger's Praxis Pietatis Melica, #104, 1656 ; Translated as "A Song of Joy at Dawn" from German to English by Catherine Winkworth, 1858

Music: Fröhlich Soll Mein Herze Springen, Johann Crueger, 1653;
"Ebeling," Johann Georg Ebeling, 1666;
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / XML
Nativity New; Stella (Parker)

Meter: 8336 8336

Source: Catherine Winkworth, Lyra Germanica: Second Series, The Christian Life, 1858

See: The Christmas Poetry of Catherine Winkworth

1. All my heart this night rejoices,
        As I hear,
        Far and near,
Sweetest angel voices;
"Christ is born," their choirs are singing,
        Till the air
        Everywhere
Now with joy is ringing.

2. For it dawns, — the promised morrow
        Of His birth
        Who the earth
Rescues from her sorrow.
God to wear our form descendeth,
        Of His grace
        To our race
Here His Son He lendeth:

3. Yea, so truly for us careth,
        That His Son
        All we've done
As our offering beareth;
As our Lamb who, dying for us,
        Bears our load,
        And to God
Doth in peace restore us.

4. Hark! a voice from yonder manger,
        Soft and sweet,
        Doth entreat,
"Flee from woe¹ and danger;
Brethren come, from all doth grieve you
        You are freed,
        All you need
I will surely give you."

5. Come then, let us hasten yonder;
        Here let all,
        Great and small,
Kneel in awe and wonder.
Love Him who with love is yearning;
        Hail the Star
        That from far
Bright with hope is burning!

6. Ye who pine in weary sadness,
        Weep no more,
        For the door
Now is found of gladness.
Cling to Him for He will guide you
        Where no cross
        Pain or loss,
Can again betide you.

7. Hither come, ye heavy-hearted;
        Who for sin
        Deep within,
Long and sore have smarted;
For the poison'd wounds you're feeling
        Help is near,
        One is here
Mighty for their healing!

8. Hither come, ye poor and wretched;
        Know His will
        Is to fill
Every hand outstretched;
Here are riches without measure,
        Here forget
        All regret,
Fill your hearts with treasure.

9. Blessed Saviour, let me find Thee!
        Keep Thou me
        Close to Thee,
Cast me not behind Thee!
Life of life, my heart Thou stillest,
        Calm I rest
        On Thy breast,
All this void Thou fillest.

10. Thee, dear Lord, with heed I'll cherish,
        Live to Thee,
        And with Thee
Dying, shall not perish;
But shall dwell with Thee for ever,
        Far on high
        In the joy
That can alter never.

Sheet Music from William Sterndale Bennett and Otto Goldschmidt, eds., The Chorale Book For England. Congregational Edition. (London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green, 1863, Supp. 1865), Translator: Catherine Winkworth, #31.

This (and the following) contain seven of the above verses.

Sheet Music from William Sterndale Bennett and Otto Goldschmidt, eds., The Chorale Book For England. (London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green, 1863), Translator: Catherine Winkworth, #31.

Sheet Music from Rev. Edgar Pettman, ed., The Westminster Carol Book (London: Houghton & Co., 1899).

Sheet Music "Bonn" by Johan G. Ebeling, 1666, from Henry Sloane Coffin and Ambrose White Vernon, eds., Hymns of the Kingdom of God. New York: The A. S. Barnes Company, 1910, #48, p. 84.

Sheet Music by A. Esmond from Rev. Charles Lewis Hutchins, Carols Old and Carols New (Boston: Parish Choir, 1916), #174
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Sheet Music by H. W. Parker from Hutchins, #324
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Sheet Music by J. Booth from Hutchins, #336
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Sheet Music by F. C. Maker from Hutchins, #500
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Sheet Music "Fröhlich Soll Mein Herze Springen" by J. Crüger from O. Hardwig, ed., The Wartburg Hymnal (Chicago: Wartburg Publishing House, 1918), #138

Sheet Music "All My Heart This Night," Johan Georg Ebeling (1666), from Sheet Music from Andreas Bersagel, et al, eds., The Concordia Hymnal (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1932), #130.

Note:

1. Or: want. Return

According to John Julian, Ian Bradley, and other research, other translations include:

Hearts At Christmas Time Were Jolly - A.G., Dearmer, Williams and Shaw, eds., Songs of Praise. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1931, #89.
Joyful Be My Spirit Singing - N. L. Frothingham, 1870.
Joyful Shall My Heart, Upspringing - M. W. Stryker, 1883.
Let The Voice Of Glad Thanksgiving - A. T. Russell (1848)
Lightly Bound My Bosom Ringing - Dr. M. Loy (1880)
Now In His Manger He So Humbly Lies - Moravian Hymn Book, 1754
Rise, My Soul, Adore Thy Maker - John Cennick (1718-1755)
Rise, My Soul, Shake Off All Sadness - P. H. Molther, Moravian Hymn Book, 1789, 1886.
Up My Heart! Rejoice With Singing - 1770 Broadside
Up! With Gladness Heavenward Springing - E. Massie, 1867

See: Ian Bradley, The Penguin Book of Carols. London: Penguin, 1999, #6. As usual, he has excellent notes. According to Julian, the original song consisted of 15 verses. See also John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1892, 1907) and Erik Routley, The English Carol (New York: Oxford University Press, 1959), p. 200.

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