Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice

Translation from German by C. G. Haas, 1897 (d. 1928)

 * Dear Christian people all, rejoice,
 * Each soul with joy upraising.
 * Pour forth a song with heart and voice,
 * With love and gladness singing.
 * Give thanks to God, our Lord above,
 * Thanks for His miracle of love!
 * Dearly He hath redeemed us.


 * He spoke to His belovèd Son
 * With infinite compassion:
 * “Go hence, my heart’s most precious One,
 * Be to the lost Salvation;
 * Death, his relentless tyrant, stay,
 * And bear him from his sins away
 * With Thee to live forever!”


 * The Son came, saying: “Cling to Me,
 * Thy sorrows now are ending;
 * Freely I give Myself to thee,
 * Thy life with Mine defending;
 * For I am thine and thou art Mine,
 * And where I am there thou shalt shine,
 * The foe shall never reach us.”


 * “To heaven again I rise from hence,
 * High to my Father soaring,
 * The Master there to be, and thence
 * My Spirit on thee pouring;
 * In every grief to comfort thee,
 * And teach thee more and more of Me,
 * Into all truth still guiding.”


 * “What I have done and taught on earth,
 * Do Thou, and teach, none dreading;
 * That so God’s kingdom may go forth,
 * And His high praise be spreading;
 * And guard thee from the words of men,
 * Lest the great joy be lost again:
 * This my last charge I leave thee.”

Translation by Richard Massie (d. 1887)

 * Dear Christians, one and all rejoice,
 * With exultation springing,
 * And with united heart and voice
 * And holy rapture singing,
 * Proclaim the wonders God hath done,
 * How his right arm the victory won;
 * Right dearly it hath cost him.


 * Fast bound in Satan’s chains I lay,
 * Death brooded darkly o’er me;
 * Sin was my torment night and day,
 * Therein my mother bore me.
 * Deeper and deeper still I fell,
 * Life was become a living hell,
 * So firmly sin possessed me.


 * My good works could avail me naught,
 * For they with sin were stained;
 * Free-will against God’s judgment fought,
 * And dead to good remained.
 * Grief drove me to despair, and I
 * Had nothing left me but to die,
 * To hell I fast was sinking.


 * God saw, in his eternal grace,
 * My sorrow out of measure;
 * He thought upon his tenderness-
 * To save was his good pleasure.
 * He turned to me a Father’s heart-
 * Not small the cost-to heal my smart
 * He have his best and dearest.


 * He spake to His beloved Son:
 * ’Tis time to take compassion;
 * Then go, bright Jewel of My crown,
 * And bring to man salvation;
 * From sin and sorrow set him free,
 * Slay bitter death for him, that he
 * May live with Thee forever.


 * The Son delighted to obey,
 * And born of virgin mother,
 * Awhile on this low earth did stay
 * That He might be my Brother.
 * His mighty power He hidden bore,
 * A servant’s form like mine He wore,
 * To bind the devil captive.


 * To me He spake: cling fast to Me,
 * Thou’lt win a triumph worthy;
 * I wholly give myself for thee;
 * I strive and wrestle for thee;
 * For I am thine, thou Mine also;
 * And where I am thou art. The foe
 * Shall never more divide us.


 * For he shall shed My precious blood,
 * Me of My life bereaving;
 * All this I suffer for thy good;
 * Be steadfast and believing.
 * My life from death the day shall win,
 * My righteousness shall bear thy sin,
 * So art thou blest forever.


 * Now to my Father I depart,
 * From earth to heaven ascending;
 * Thence heavenly wisdom to impart,
 * The Holy Spirit sending.
 * He shall in trouble comfort thee,
 * Teach thee to know and follow me,
 * And to the truth conduct thee.


 * What I have done and taught, do thou
 * To do and teach endeavor;
 * So shall my kingdom flourish now,
 * And God be praised forever.
 * Take heed lest men with base alloy
 * The heavenly treasure should destroy.
 * This counsel I bequeath thee.

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