Welcome God's And Mary's Son

For Christmas

Words: "Gottes und Marien Sohn," Caspar Neumann, b. 1648.
Translator: Rev. Milo Mahan, D. D.

Music: "Jesus meine Zuversicht" (?)
Harmonized by Carl Seeger.

Source: J. H. Hopkins, ed., Great Hymns of the Church Compiled by the Late Right Reverend John Freeman Young (New York: James Pott & Company, 1887), #68, pp. 104-5.

1. Welcome God's and Mary's Son
    Jesu, who to earth descending,
Didst our nature with Thine own
    Join in union never-ending:
Save us from th' oppressor's rod,
Oh our Brother and our God!

2. All was lost in Adam's fall;
    All in Thee is now recovered.
Once to sin and death a thrall,
    O'er the pit of hell I hovered:
Now I learn to cling to Thee, —
Once with Adam, one with me.

3. Out of Heaven did'st Thou come down;
    Out of hell my soul deliver.
Scarce a stall in David's town,
    Welcomed Thee; but, gracious Giver,
Grant to us beyond the sky,
Each a starry home on high.

4. Cleaves my soul to dross and dust;
    Help me, Lord, I sink and perish;
Purge my heart of earthly lust,
    Life divine within me cherish;
Dweller in the Manger, Thou,
Dwell Thyself within me now.

5. Scant and mean the swaddling clothes,
    Limbs divine, like Thine, to cover!
Be the sin my spirit loathes
    Bound in them and covered over:
But myself be clothed in Thee,
Jesu, by Thy Spirit free.

6. Ah! the pain that came to Thee,
    In the hard and narrow manger!
May my spirit cradled be
    In Thy heart, secure from danger,
When my weary head is hid
Underneath the coffin-lid.

7. Is it still the Devil's lust
    Souls of men in sin to smother?
Yet in this I put my trust, —
    God became my Friend and Brother!
Heart and mind in Thee to dwell,
Help me, mine Immanuel!

Sheet Music from J. H. Hopkins, ed., Great Hymns of the Church Compiled by the Late Right Reverend John Freeman Young (New York: James Pott & Company, 1887), #68, pp. 104-5.

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