Christ My Song - 1489
I and my house are ready, Lord - I and my house will serve the Lord (Carl Johann Philipp Spitta/Richard Massie/
Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
I and my house will serve the Lord.
1. I and my house are ready, Lord,
with hearts that beat in sweet accord,
to serve thee and obey thee;
be in the midst of us, we pray,
to guide and bless us, that we may
a willing service pay thee.
Of us all,
great and small,
make a pious congregation,
pure in life and conversation. PDF - Midi
2. Let thy good Spirit by the word
work mightily in us, O Lord,
our souls and bodies filling;
O let the Sun of grace shine bright,
that there may be abundant light
in us and in our dwelling.
On our way,
night and day,
with the heavenly manna feed us,
to the heavenly Canaan lead us.
3. Send peace and blessing from above,
unite us all in faith and love
who in this house are living;
let charity our hearts prepare
to suffer long, and all things bear,
meek, gentle, and forgiving;
nor in aught
Christ hath taught
let us fail to one another,
but each love and help his brother.
4. Lord, let our house be built upon
thy faithfulness and grace alone;
and, when the day is closing
and night her gloomy shadow flings,
let us lie down beneath thy wings
with childlike trust reposing;
e'en with smart
in the heart,
cheerful, happy, and confiding,
patiently in thee abiding.
5. If thou shouldst bless our home with wealth,
let not the world creep in by stealth,
and take away the blessing;
for if our hearts should empty be
of meekness and humility,
although all else possessing,
we should miss
that true bliss,
which not all the world's vast treasure
can supply in smallest measure.
6. But this, O Lord, we pray for most,
that in our house the Holy Ghost
may ever be presiding;
he can preserve our souls from sin,
keep order and sound discipline,
his Spirit all things guiding.
O may we
ever be
by the Spirit thus attended,
till our pilgrimage is ended!
Richard Massie, Lyra Domestica I, 1863, 103-105.
Translated from the German Ich und mein Haus, wir sind bereit - Ich und mein Haus, wir wollen dem Herrn dienen of Carl Johann Philipp Spitta.