Rejoice, My Heart, Be Glad and Sing

Top Text Author Author Text Info Tune Timeline Page Scans Instances

Rejoice my heart, be glad and sing

Author: John Kelly; Author: Paul Gerhardt
Tune: ICH SINGE DIR (55551)
Published in 6 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Rejoice, my heart, be glad and sing,
a cheerful trust maintain;
for God, the source of ev'rything,
your portion shall remain.
Why spend the day in blank despair,
in restless thought the night?
On your Creator cast your care;
he makes your burdens light.

2 Did not his love and truth and pow'r
guard ev'ry childhood day?
And did he not in threat'ning hour
turn dreaded ills away?
He always will with patience chide,
his rod falls gently down;
and all your sins he casts aside
in ocean depths to drown.

3 His wisdom never plans in vain
nor falters nor mistakes;
all that his counsels may ordain
a blessed ending makes.
Upon your lips, then, lay your hand,
and trust his guiding love;
then like a rock your peace shall stand
here and in heav'n above.

Source: Christian Worship: Hymnal #827

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

Author: John Kelly

Kelly, John, was born at Newcastle-on-Tyne, educated at Glasgow University, studied theology at Bonn, New College, Edinburgh, and the Theological College of the English Presbyterian Church (to which body he belongs) in London. He has ministered to congregations at Hebburn-on-Tyne and Streatham, and was Tract Editor of the Religious Tract Society. His translations of Paul Gerhardt's Spiritual Songs were published in 1867. Every piece is given in full, and rendered in the metre of the originals. His Hymns of the Present Century from the German were published in 1886 by the Religious Tract Society. In these translations the metres of the originals have not always been followed, whilst some of the hymns have been abridged and others condens… Go to person page >

Author: Paul Gerhardt

Paul Gerhardt (b. Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany, 1607; d. Lubben, Germany, 1676), famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg and then was a tutor in Berlin, where he became friends with Johann Crüger. He served the Lutheran parish of Mittenwalde near Berlin (1651-1657) and the great St. Nicholas' Church in Berlin (1657-1666). Friederich William, the Calvinist elector, had issued an edict that forbade the various Protestant groups to fight each other. Although Gerhardt did not want strife between the churches, he refused to comply with the edict because he thought it opposed the Lutheran "Formula of Concord," which condemned some Calvinist doctrines. Consequently, he was r… Go to person page >

^ top

First Line:	Rejoice my heart, be glad and sing
Title:	Rejoice, My Heart, Be Glad and Sing
Author:	John Kelly
Author:	Paul Gerhardt
Meter:	8.6.8.6
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain