Spiritual Songs

Paul Gerhardt

Translated by John Kelly

75 chapters · about 3 h

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The opening

Scarce tongue can speak, ne’er human ken The myst’ry could discover, That God, from His high throne to men Makes known the world all over: That He alone is King above All other gods whatever, Great, mighty, faithful, full of love, His saints doth aye deliver, One substance but three persons!

God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! The name thrice holy given, On earth by all the ransom’d host, And by the hosts of heaven. He’s Abraham’s and Isaac’s God, And Jacob’s whom He knoweth, The Lord of Hosts, who every good Both night and day bestoweth, Who only doeth wonders!

His Son, from all eternity Begotten hath the Father, Who came as man, when God’s decree Had fix’d, His sheep to gather. The Holy Ghost eternally, While all Their glory sharing, Their honour, pow’r, and majesty, A crown all equal wearing, Proceeds from Son and Father!

Be glad, my heart! thy portion see, Thy rich unequall’d treasure, He is thy Friend, supply will He Thy needs with bounteous measure. Who made thee in His image fair Thy load of guilt removeth, Gives thee His chosen’s faith to share, Thy Joy in sorrow proveth, Through His own word most holy.

The whole book is in the Sphinx app.

About this edition

The words
John Kelly's English translation, copied word for word.
Left out
  • The source library's header, footer and license
  • The title page and opening pages before chapter 1
  • The printed table of contents (the app makes its own)
  • Page numbers and running heads from the printed pages, in 3 places
  • The book title line; the app supplies title information
  • Source section heading retained as the following hymn chapters' part (14 blocks)
  • Notes and pages added by translators, editors or publishers, in 4 places
  • Printer's colophon

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