Christ My Song - 1477
O blessed Sun, whose splendour - Life and contentment in Jesus
(Carl Johann Philipp Spitta/Richard Massie/
Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
Life and contentment in Jesus.
1. O blessed Sun, whose splendour
dispels the shades of night,
O Jesus, my Defender,
my soul's supreme delight,
all day I hear resounding
a voice with silver tone,
which speaks of grace abounding
through God's eternal Son. PDF - Midi
2. A deep and heavenly feeling
oft seizes on my breast,
ah! here is balm for healing,
here only is true rest.
Though fortune should bereave me
of all I love the best,
if Christ his love still leave me,
I freely give the rest.
3. To win this precious treasure
and matchless pearl, I would
give honour, wealth, and pleasure,
and every earthly good;
I gladly would surrender
the dearest thing which might
obscure my Sun's bright splendour,
and rob me of his light.
4. I know no life divided,
O Lord of life, from thee,
in thee is life provided
for all mankind and me;
I know no death, O Jesus,
because I live in thee,
thy death it is which frees us
from death eternally.
5. I fear no tribulation,
since, whatsoe'er it be,
it makes no separation
between my Lord and me.
If thou, my God and Teacher,
vouchsafe to be my own,
though poor, I shall be richer
than monarch on his throne.
6. If, while on earth I wander,
my heart is light and blessed,
ah! what shall I be yonder
in perfect peace and rest?
O blessed thought in dying!
We go to meet the Lord,
where there shall be no sighing,
a kingdom our reward.
7. Lord, with this truth impress me,
and write it on my heart,
to comfort, cheer, and bless me,
that thou my Saviour art;
without thy love to guide me,
I should be wholly lost,
the floods would quickly hide me
on life's wide ocean tossed.
8. Thy love it was which sought me,
thyself unsought by me,
and to the haven brought me
where I would gladly be;
the things, which once distressed me,
my heart no longer move,
since this sweet truth impressed me,
that I possess thy love.
Richard Massie, Lyra Domestica I, 1863, 66-68.
Translated from the German O Jesus, meine Sonne - Leben und volle Genüge in Jesus
of Carl Johann Philipp Spitta.