Ah! Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee

Ah! Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee

For Advent

Words: "Wie Soll Ich Dich Empfangen?", Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676), 1653.
Trans. By Catherine Winkworth, The Chorale Book For England, 1863
See: The Christmas Poetry of Catherine Winkworth
Text: Matthew 21: 1-9

Music: "Ah! Lord, How Shall I Meet Thee"

Source: 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, #21.

1. Ah! Lord, how shall I meet Thee,
    How welcome Thee aright?
All nations long to greet Thee,
    My hope, my sole delight!
Brighten the lamp that burneth
    But dimly in my breast,
And teach my soul, that yearneth
    To honour such high guest.

2. Thy Zion strews before Thee
    Her fairest buds and palms,
And I too will adore Thee
    With sweetest songs and psalms;
My soul breaks forth in flowers
    Rejoicing in Thy fame,
And summons all her powers
    To honour Jesus' name.

3. Nought, nought, dear Lord, could move Thee
    To leave Thy rightful place
Save love, for which I love Thee;
    A love that could embrace
A world where sorrow dwelleth,
    Which sin and suffering fill,
More than the tongue e'er telleth;—
    Yet Thou couldst love it still!

4. O ye sad hearts that sicken
    With hope deferred, and see
The gloom around you thicken,
    The joys ye hoped for flee,—
Despair not, He is near you,
    Yea, at the very door,
Who best can help and cheer you,
    He will not linger more.

5. Nor sin shall make you fearful,
    Ashamed to see His face,
The contrite heart and tearful
    He covers with His grace;
He comes to heal the spirit
    That mourneth sin-oppressed,
And raise us to inherit
    With Him our proper rest.

6. He comes to judge the nations,
    A terror to His foes,
A light of consolations
    And blessed hope to those
Who love the Lord's appearing:
    O glorious Sun, now come,
Send forth Thy beams of cheering
    And guide us safely home!

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, #21.

Sheet Music to "Original tune" from William Sterndale Bennett and Otto Goldschmidt, eds., The Chorale Book For England. (London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green, 1863), Translator: Catherine Winkworth, #21.

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