Once He Came in Blessing

For Advent

Words: Johann Roh (?-1547), Gottes Sohn is kommen, 1544
Translated by Catherine Winkworth (1829-1878), The Chorale Book For England, 1863
Erroneously attributed to "J. Horn" in some sources.

Text: Luke 4: 18-19:
The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives,
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (KJV)

Music: Michael Weisse, Gottes Sohn ist kommen,1531
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

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, #26.

1. Once He came in blessing,
All our ills redressing;
Came in likeness lowly,
Son of God most holy;
Bore the cross to save us,
Hope and freedom gave us.

2. Still He comes within us,
Still His voice would win us
From the sins that hurt us;
Would to Truth convert us
From our foolish errors
Ere He comes in terrors.

3. Thus, if thou hast known Him,
Not ashamed to own Him,
Nor dost love Him coldly,
But wilt trust Him boldly
He will now¹ receive thee,
Heal thee, and forgive thee.

4. But through many a trial,
Deepest self-denial,
Long and brave endurance,
Must thou win assurance
That His own He makes thee,
And no more forsakes thee.

5. He who thus endureth
Bright reward secureth;
Come, then, O Lord Jesus,
From our sins release us;
Let us here confess Thee
Till in heaven we bless Thee.

Note:

1. Or: then. Return

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, #26.

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

Sheet Music and Text 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), #47, p. 75

Hopkins gives credit for the German to the Bohemian Brethren.
"Melody of the 12th Century.
Harmony of Dr. C. Kocher.'

Sheet Music from O. Hardwig, ed., The Wartburg Hymnal (Chicago: Wartburg Publishing House, 1918), #86

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