Translations. - Pentecost. (Luther's Song-Book.)

I.

Come, God, Creator, Holy Ghost,
Visit the heart of all thy men;
Fill them with grace the way thou know'st:
What was thine, make so again;

Our Comforter to soothe or chide;
The blessed gift of highest God!
A ghostly chrism to us applied,
Live streams--fire--love spread abroad!

O kindle in our minds a light;
Give in our hearts love's glowing gift;
Our weak flesh, known to thee aright,
With thy strength and grace uplift.

In giving gifts thou art sevenfold--
The finger thou on God's right hand!
His word by thee right soon is told
With clov'n tongues in every land.

Drive far the cunning of the foe;
Thy grace bring peace and make us whole,
That we glad after thee may go,
And shun that which hurts the soul.

Teach us to know the Father right,
And Jesus Christ, his son, that so
We may with faith be filled quite,
Spirit of both, thee to know!

Praise God the Father, and the Son
Who from the dead arose in power;
Like praise to the Consoling One,
Evermore and every hour! Amen.


II.

Come, Holy Spirit, Lord and God,
Fill full with thine own gracious good
Thy faithful ones' heart, mind, desire!
Light in them of thy love the fire.
O Lord, through thy light, flashing fast,
Into the faith thou gathered hast
People of all tongues under heaven:
That to thy glory, Lord, be given!
        Halleluja! Halleluja!

Thou holy light, retreat from strife,
Cause shine on us the word of life,
That we the truth of God gather,
Call him heartily our Father.
O Lord, protect us from strange lore,
That we for teachers seek no more,
But with true faith Jesus solely,
And him with all our might trust wholly:
        Halleluja! Halleluja!

Thou holy fire, thou comfort sweet,
Now help us; with good cheer us meet;
That in thy service nought shake us,
Trouble never leave thee make us.
O Lord, by thy might us prepare,
And make the weak flesh strong to bear,
That we strive[1] like knights campaigning,
Through death and life to thee straining:
        Halleluja! Halleluja!

[Footnote 1: The Scotch warsle would be perfect.]

George MacDonald

George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister best known for his fairy tales and fantasy novels. He was a pioneer in the fantasy genre, influencing notable writers such as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. His major works include "Phantastes" and "Lilith," as well as numerous poems and other literary works. MacDonald's writings are characterized by their imaginative qualities and deep spiritual insight.

George MacDonald

Translations. - The Castle On The Mountain. (From Goethe.)

George MacDonald, Simple Poetry

The Girl That Lost Things

George MacDonald, Simple Poetry

Sonnets III.

George MacDonald, Simple Poetry

In February

George MacDonald, Simple Poetry

English

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Translations. - A Song Of Praise. (Luther's Song-Book.)

Now let us pray the Holy Ghost,
Of all things, for the true faith most,
In that to preserve us when we are dying,
And going home out of this vale of crying:
        Kyrioleis.

Thou noble light, shine as thou hast shone;
Teach us to know Jesus Christ alone,
That we the true Saviour hold by the hand
Who us has brought to the real fatherland:
        Kyrioleis.

Thou sweet Love, grant us thy favour, that so
We feel of thy love the inward glow,
That we from our hearts may love each the other,
Dwelling in peace, of one mind together:
        Kyrioleis.

Comfort highest, in danger or blame
Help us to fear neither death nor shame;
Nor let weak senses with fears confuse us
When the enemy comes to accuse us:
        Kyrioleis.

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Translations. - The Trinity. (Luther's Song-Book.)

I.

God, the Father, with us be,
Let us not fall to badness;
Make us from all sinning free,
And help us die in gladness.
'Gainst the devil well us ware,
And keep our faith from failing,
Our hope in thee from quailing.
Our hearts upon thee staying,
Make us wholly trust thy care!
Us, with good Christians sharing,
Save from the devil snaring,
Him with God's weapons daring.
Amen! well now may we fare!
Now sing we Halleluja!

Jesus, Master, with us be,
Let us not fall to badness; &c.

Holy Spirit, with us be,
Let us not fall to badness; &c.


II.

Thou who art three in unity,
A true God from eternity,
The sun's daylight withdraws his shine:
Lighten us with thy light divine.

At morn ...

George MacDonald

Translations. - The Sixty-Seventh Psalm. (Luther's Song-Book.)

Would that the Lord would grant us grace,
And in his volume write us!
With its clear shining let his face
To life eternal light us;
That we may know his work at length,
And what men him have faith in;
And Jesus Christ our health and strength
Be known to all the heathen,
And unto God convert them.

God then will thank, and thee will praise
The heathen with glad voices;
Let all the world for joy upraise
A song with mighty noises,
Because thou art earth's judge, O Lord,
Nor leav'st the righteous quailing;
Thy word it is both bed and board,
And for all folk availing
In the right path to keep them.

Let them thank God, and thee adore,
Thy folk of deeds of grace full.
The land grows fruitful more and more;
Thy word it is successful...

George MacDonald

Translations. - The Twelfth Psalm. (Luther's Song-Book.)

Ah God, from heaven look down and view;
Let it thy pity waken;
Behold thy saints how very few!
We wretches are forsaken.
Thy word they grant nor true nor right,
And faith is thus extinguished quite
Among the sons of Adam.

They teach a cunning false and fine--
In their own wits they found it;
Their heart in one doth not combine,
Nor on God's word they ground it;
One chooses this, the other that;
Endless division they are at,
And yet they keep smooth faces.

God will outroot the teachers all
Who with false shows present us;
Besides, their proud tongues loudly call--
Tush! tush!--who can prevent us?
We have the right and might in full;
And what we say, that is the rule;
Who dares to give us lessons!

Therefore saith God: I...

George MacDonald

Translations. - A Song Of Thanksgiving For The Benefits Most Great Which God Hath Shown To Us In Christ. (Luther's Song-Book.)

Dear Christians, let us now rejoice,
And dance in joyous measure;
That, of good cheer, and with one voice,
We sing in love and pleasure
Of what to us our God hath shown,
And the sweet wonder he hath done:
Full dearly hath he bought it!

Forlorn and lost in death I lay
A captive to the devil;
My sin lay heavy, night and day,
For I was born in evil.
I fell but deeper for my strife
There was no good in all my life,
For sin had all-possessed me.

My good works they were worthless quite,
A mock was all my merit;
My free will hates God's judging light,
To all good dead and buried.
Me to despair my anguish drove,
Down unto death my soul did shove:
I must be plunged in hell-fire!

Then God was sorry on his throne
To see suc...

George MacDonald

Translations. - The Creed. (Luther's Song-Book.)

In one true God we all believe,
Maker of the earth and heaven;
Who, us as children to receive,
Hath himself as father given.
Now and henceforth he will feed us;
Soul and body, will be round us;
'Gainst mischances all will heed us;
Nought shall come on us to wound us.
He watches for us, cares, defends;
And everything to his might bends.

And we believe in Jesus Christ,
His son, our Lord. Evermore he
Sits beside the Father high'st,
Equal God in might and glory.
He of Mary, the young maiden,
Verily was born true human
By the Holy Ghost. Grief-laden
For our sakes, lost man and woman,
He on the cross expired in faith,
And rose again, through God, from death.

We believe in the Holy Ghost
With the Father and the Saviour,
In wh...

George MacDonald