Tune: Aus meines Herzens Grunde
-
Lo, God to heav’n ascendeth!
Throughout its regions vast
With shouts triumphant blendeth
The trumpet’s thrilling blast:
Sing praise to Christ the Lord;
Sing praise with exultation,
King of each heathen nation,
The God of hosts adored! -
With joy is heav’n resounding
Christ’s glad return to see;
Behold the saints surrounding
The Lord who set them free.
Bright myriads, thronging, come;
The cherub band rejoices,
And loud seraphic voices
All welcome Jesus home. -
From cross to throne ascending,
We follow Christ on high
And know the pathway wending
To mansions in the sky.
Our Lord is gone before;
Yet here He will not leave us,
But soon in heav’n receive us
And open wide the door. -
Our place He is preparing;
To heav’n we, too, shall rise,
With Him His glory sharing,
Be where our Treasure lies.
Bestir thyself, my soul!
Where Jesus Christ has entered,
There let thy hope be centered;
Press onward toward the goal. -
Let all our thoughts be winging
To where Thou didst ascend,
And let our hearts be singing:
“We seek Thee, Christ, our Friend,
Thee, God’s exalted Son,
Our Life, and Way to heaven,
To whom all pow’r is given,
Our Joy and Hope and Crown.” -
Farewell with all thy treasures,
O world, to falsehood giv’n!
Thy dross gives no true pleasures;
We seek the joys of heav’n.
The Savior is our Prize;
He comforts us in sadness
And fills our heart with gladness;
To Him we lift our eyes. -
When, on our vision dawning,
Will break the wished-for hour
Of that all-glorious morning
When Christ shall come with pow’r?
O come, thou welcome day!
When we, our Savior meeting,
His second advent greeting,
Shall hail the heav’n-sent ray.
Gott fähret auf gen Himmel
Gottfried Wilhelm Sacer, 1661
Tr. Frances E. Cox, alt.
Source: Sts. 1–5, The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, No. 214
Sts. 6–7, Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book, 1927, No. 233
German Text (coming soon)