Nun tret ich wieder aus der Ruh

[137]Anton Ulrich, Duke of Brunswick.1667.

trans. by Catherine Winkworth, 1855

Once more from rest I rise again,

To greet a day of toil and pain,

My Heaven-appointed lot;

Unknowing what new grief may be

With this new day in store for me,

But it shall harm me not

I know full well; my loving God

Will send me not a hurtful load.

My burden every day is new,

But every day my God is true,

And all my cares hath borne;

Ere eventide can no man know

What Day shall bring of joy or woe,

And though it seem each morn

To some new path of suffering call,

With God I can surmount it all.

Since this I know, oh wherefore sink,

My faithless heart? And why thus shrink

To take thy load again?

Bear what thou canst, God bears thy lot,

The Lord of All, He stumbleth not;

Pure blessing shalt thou gain,

If thou with Him right onward go,

Nor fear'st to tread the path of woe.

My heart grows strong, all terrors fly

Whene'er I feel Thy love Most High,

Doth compass me around;

But would I have Thee for my shield,

No more to sin my soul must yield,

But in Thy ways be found;

Thou, God, wilt never walk my way

If from Thy paths my feet should stray.

But let me feel Thou guidest me,

And humbly I will follow Thee,

Lord, make me true and pure;

Then strong and dauntless in Thy might

Against a world of sin I'll fight,

And know my triumph sure;

Then bravely I can meet each day,

And fear it not, come what come may.

My God and Lord, I cast on Thee

The load that weighs too sore on me,

The yoke 'neath which I bow;

I lay my rank, my high command,

In my Almighty Father's hand,

Well knowing, Lord, that Thou

Wilt ne'er withdraw it, for Thy truth

Hath let me onward from my youth.

To Thee my kindred I commend,

For they are safe if Thou defend,

Oh guard them round about;

My sinful soul would shelter take

In Jesu's bosom, for whose sake

Thou wilt not cast her out;

When soul and body part at last,

Then all myself on Thee I cast.

[2] See also from Christian Singers of Germany, "A Morning Prayer"; "Make me Thine own and keep me Thine"; "O Light, who out of Light wast born"; "Morning Star in darksome night"; from Lyra Germanica, Second Series, Morning Prayer.