The Lutheran Hymnary

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2 Grant that all Thy faithful people
May Thy truer temple be;
Neither flesh, nor soul, nor spirit,
Know another Lord than Thee;
But, to Thee once dedicated,
Serve Thee everlastingly.

3 Bright be here Jehovah's altar
With the presents that we bring,

Held in holy veneration,

Rich with many an offering;

Ever hallowed, ever quiet,

Ever dear to God, its king.

4 Here our souls, as Thy true altars,
Deign to hallow and to bless,
O Thou future Judge of all men,
With Thy grace and holiness:

That Thy gifts sent down from heaven,
We may evermore possess.

132

8s. 7L.

Ludv. M. Lindeman, 1812-87

Built on the Rock the Church doth stand, E-ven when steeples are fall

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2 Surely in temples made with hands,
God, the Most High, is not dwelling,
High above earth His temple stands,
All earthly temples excelling;
Yet He whom heavens cannot contain
Chose to abide on earth with men-
Built in our bodies His temple.

3 We are God's house of living stones, Builded for His habitation;

He through baptismal grace us owns Heirs of His wondrous salvation; Were we but two His name to tell, Yet He would deign with us to dwell, With all His grace and His favor.

4 Now we may gather with our King; E'en in the lowliest dwelling; Praises to Him we there may bring,

His wondrous mercy forth telling; Jesus His grace to us accords, Spirit and life are all His words,

His truth doth hallow the temple.

5 Still we our earthly temples rear, That we may herald His praises; They are the homes where He draws And little children embraces; [near Beautiful things in them are said, God there with us His cov'nant made, Making us heirs of His kingdom.

133 L. M.

6 Here stands the font before our eyes
Telling how God did receive us;
Th' altar recalls Christ's sacrifice

And what His table doth give us;
Here sounds the word that doth proclaim
Christ yesterday, today the same,
Yea, and for aye our Redeemer.

7 Grant then, O God, where'er men roam,
That when the church bells are ringing,
Many in Jesus' faith may come

Where He His message is bringing:

I know mine own, mine own know me,
Ye, not the world, my face shall see:
My peace I leave with you, Amen.

N. F. S. Grundtvig, 1837

German, 1539

ter-nal God, We build this earthly house for Thee;

O choose it for Thy fixed a - bode, And guard it from all

error free.

2 Here, when Thy people seek Thy face, 4 When children's voices raise the song,

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O Truth unchanged, un - chang-ing, O Light of our dark sky;

We praise Thee for the ra-diance

That from the hal-lowed page,

A lamp un to our foot-steps, Shines on from age to

age.

2 The Church from her dear Master Received the gift divine,

And still that light she lifteth

O'er all the earth to shine.

It is the golden casket

Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture

Of Christ, the living Word.

3 It floateth like a banner
Before God's host unfurled;
It shineth like a beacon
Above the darkling world;
It is the chart and compass
That o'er life's surging sea,
Amid the rocks and quicksands
Still guides, O Christ, to Thee.

4 O make Thy Church, dear Savior,
A lamp of burnished gold,
To bear before the nations
Thy true light as of old;
O teach Thy wandering pilgrims
By this their path to trace,
Till, clouds and darkness ended,
They see Thee face to face

135

C. M.

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