Salb' uns mit deiner Liebe

[304]Gottfried Arnold

trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1869

Anoint us with Thy blessed love,

O Wisdom, through and through,

Till Thy sweet impulses remove

All dread and fear undue,

And we behold ourselves in Thee

A purified Humanity,

And live Thy risen life.

O Perfect Manhood, once again

Descend Thou in our race,

Be all its lower nature slain,

Transform us of Thy grace,

Till pure and holy as Thou art

Thine image shine from every heart,

And Thou within us live.

Prepare the Church, O Lord, Thy Bride,

With glory and with strength,

Let life flow from her far and wide,

Till she may see at length

New members given her day by day,

That shall not wither nor decay,

Wherein Thyself hast joy.

Redeemer, Thine the power alone,

Ah yield Thee to us, Lord!

Let God's fair temple once o'erthrown

Be in our race restored;

Thou, Man of men, didst take our flesh

Only to give us life afresh,

And render all things new.

Then all the glory shall return

That we had lost of yore,

Long severed souls shall homewards yearn

And cleave to Thee once more;

Then shall the Father and the Son

Through their one Spirit make us one;

Christ's prayer at last fulfilled!