Hymn of the Week: November 2, 2020

Hymn of the Week:

Fairest Lord Jesus 
Glory to God #630

Text Münster Gesangbuch 1677
Music Silesian Folk melody 1842

Fairest Lord Jesus 

Fairest Lord Jesus! Ruler of all nature!
O Thou of God to earth come down!
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy, and crown!

Fair are the meadows, Fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing!

Fair is the sunshine, Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
Than all the angels heav’n can boast!

Beautiful Savior, Ruler of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise adoration,
Now and for evermore be thine!.

The following description of this hymn text comes to us from the wonderful book, Then Sings My Soul 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories by Robert H. Morgan Nelson Press. Text on the tune comes from the research I have gleaned.

This hymn came from the Roman Catholic Jesuits in Germany and originally had 6 verses. It first appeared in 1677 in a Jesuit hymnbook with the title, Münster Gesangbuch, but the text of the hymn was in existence at least 15 years earlier for it has been found in a manuscript dating back to 1662. Yet the origin of the words remains a mystery.

Who translated it into English? That also remains a mystery. The first three verses are the work of an anonymous translator. The fourth stanza was by Joseph A. Seiss, and it appeared in a Lutheran Sunday School book in 1873. How appropriate the no human author draws attention away from the theme of this great song. There’s no source to distract from the subject, no story to detract from the Savior.

This hymn emphasizes the beauty and wonder of Christ, and it alludes to His dual nature, that he was both human and divine, God made flesh, the God-Man: O Thou of God and man the Son….Son of God and Son of Man.

Looking toward the tune, I am stepping away from the book. The tune is known by many names. It’s title: Fairest Lord Jesus, as well as Crusader’s Hymn and St. Elizabeth. The tune we know today that you hear played by members of Festivo Bell Choir was heard in an Oratorio by Franz Liszt called The Legend of St. Elizabeth (1862). This tune came during the march of the Crusades section of the oratorio. For this reason, I believe many people erroneously think this tune is associated with the Crusades. It is definitely not that ancient of a song. Did the classical composer Franz Liszt compose the tune? Did it come earlier? This information is all unknown, and like the text, I believe it lends itself to the knowing unknown-ness of God. He is both God and Man.

Many Thanks to Judy McNeish, Emily Pagano-McCall, Eric Miller, Lori Fuhrer, and Laura Kurtz for ringing!