From the Epistle. [Rom.8:12-13]

10,10,10,10,10,10

O Gott, o Geist, o Licht des Lebens

[105]Gerhard Tersteegen.1731.

trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1855

O God, O Spirit, Light of all that live,

Who dost on us that sit in darkness shine,

Our darkness ever with Thy Light dost strive,

In vain Thou lur'st us with Thy beams divine;

Yet none, O Spirit, from Thine eye can hide,

Gladly [will] I Thy searching glance abide.

Search all my hidden parts, whate'er impure

Thy Light discovers there, do Thou destroy;

The bitterst pain I willingly endure,

Such pain is followed by eternal joy;

Thou'lt cleanse me from my stains of darkest hue,

And in Christ's image form my soul anew.

I cannot stay the venomed power of sin,

'Tis Thy anointing only can avail;

Oh make my spirit new and right within,

Without Thee all my utmost efforts fail.

Life to my cold dead soul I cannot give,

Be Thou my life, so only shall I live.

O Breath from out the Eternal Silence, blow

All softly o'er my spirit's barren ground,

The precious fulness of my God bestow,

That where erst sin and shame alone were found,

Faith, love, and holy reverence may upspring,

In spirit and in truth to worship God our King.

Oh let my thoughts, my actions and my will

Obedient solely to Thy impulse move,

My heart and senses keep Thou blameless still,

Fixed and absorbed in God's unuttered love.

Thy praying, teaching, striving, in my heart,

Let me not quench, nor make Thee to depart.

O Fount, O Spirit, who dost take and show

Things of the Son to us, who crystal clear

From God's throne and the Lamb's doth ceaseless flow

Into the quiet hearts that seek Thee here,

I open wide my mouth, and thirsting sink

Beside Thy stream, its living waves to drink.

I give myself to Thee, to Thee alone,

From all else sundered, Thou art ever near,

The creature and myself I all disown,

Trusting with inmost faith that God is here!

O God, O Spirit, Light of Life, we see

None ever wait in vain, who wait for Thee.