Christ My Song - 1974
Voices of Spring, with what gladness I hear you again! - Spring (Meta Heusser-Schweizer/Jane Laurie Borthwick/
Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
Spring.
1. Voices of Spring, with what gladness I hear you again!
Praises to Heaven ascending from mountain and plain!
I too would raise
humbly, an anthem of praise,
joining in Nature's glad strain. PDF - Midi
2. Listen, my soul, to the chorus on earth and in air;
all things created the praise of their Maker declare!
Shalt thou alone
silent, refuse to make known
all the rich grace thou dost share?
3. Hath not the heavenly spring-time of hope come to thee,
from the long winter of error and sorrow set free?
while its soft light
stealing across the dark night
ev'n of the grave, thou canst see!
4. O thou Almighty, All-merciful Saviour and Lord!
Would that each feeling, each thought of my soul, could record
all the deep love,
which, from thy fulness above,
into this heart thou hast poured!
5. Now let me praise thee! Thou knowest how blindly and long
all thy kind dealings I read and interpreted wrong,
murmured and wept,
wilfully wandered and slept
in my rebellion so strong.
6. But as the cold frosts of winter dissolve and give way,
when on their surface the sunshine and soft breezes play –
so from the heart
coldness and darkness depart
under thy love's cheering ray.
7. Give me a harp! from the valley of tears let me join
those who are singing above in the Presence Divine;
anthems of heaven –
praise from a sinner forgiven –
sweetly the echoes combine!
H.L.L., alias Jane Laurie Borthwick, Alpine Lyrics, ca. 1874, 96-97.
Translated from the German Hör ich euch wieder, ihr Töne des Frühlings, erklingen - Loblied (in part) of Meta Heusser-Schweizer.