Thank you for posting. This is a truly beautiful piece of poetry.
marron, you are welcome.
I read it over again (sung it in my head to be truthful), and, much to my dismay, found a couple of typos that were misleading. Sorry about that. So, I fixed them. Here ‘tis again:
The hymn (meter: 8 33 6 8 33 6)
Why should cross and trial grieve me?
Christ is near With His cheer;
Never will He leave me.
Who can rob me of the heaven
That God’s Son For my own
To my faith hath given?
Though a heavy cross I’m bearing
And my heart Feels the smart,
Shall I be despairing?
God, my Helper, who doth send it,
Well doth know All my woe
And how best to end it.
God oft gives me days of gladness;
Shall I grieve If He give
Seasons, too, of sadness?
God is good and tempers ever
All my ill And He will
Wholly leave me never.
Hopeful, cheerful, and undaunted
Ev’rywhere They appear
Who in Christ are planted.
Death itself cannot appall them,
They rejoice When the voice
Of their Lord doth call them.
Death cannot destroy forever;
From our fears, Cares and tears
It will us deliver.
It will close life’s mournful story,
Make a way That we may
Enter heav’nly glory.
What is all this life possesses?
But a hand Full of sand
That the heart distresses.
Noble gifts that pall me never
Christ, our Lord, Will accord
To His saints forever.
Lord, my Shepherd, take me to Thee.
Thou art mine; I was Thine
Even ere I knew Thee.
I am Thine, for Thou hast bought me;
Lost I stood, but Thy blood
Free salvation brought me.
Thou art mine; I love and own Thee.
Light of Joy, Ne’er shall I
From my heart dethrone Thee.
Savior, let me soon behold Thee
Face to face; May Thy grace
Evermore enfold me!
— Paul Gerhardt +1607-1676