III.
God with Us.

6,6,10,6,6,10

Herr Jesu Christ dein Kripplein ist

Paul Gerhardt.

O blessed Jesus! This

Thy lowly manger is

The Paradise where oft my soul would feed:

Here is the place, my Lord,

Where lies the Eternal Word

Clothed with our flesh, made like to us indeed.

For He whose mighty sway

The winds and seas obey,

Submits to serve, and stoops to those who sin;

The glorious Son of God

Doth bear the mortal load

Of earth and dust, like us and all our kin.

For thus, O Good Supreme,

Wilt Thou our flesh redeem,

And raise it to Thy throne o'er every height:

Eternal Strength, here Thou

To brotherhood dost bow

With transient things that pass like mists of night.

Thy glory and Thy joy

All woe and grief destroy;

Thou, Heavenly Treasure, dost all wealth restore!

Thou deep and living Well!

Thou great Immanuel

Dost conquer sin and death for evermore!

Then come, whoe'er thou art,

O poor desponding heart,

Take courage now, let this thy fears dispel,

That since His Son most dear

Thy God hath given thee here,

It cannot be but God doth love thee well.

How often dost thou think

That thou must surely sink,

That hope and comfort are no more for thee;

Come hither then and gaze

Upon this Infant's face,

And here the love of God incarnate see.

Ah now the blessed door

Stands open evermore

To all the joys of this world and the next:

This Babe will be our Friend,

And quickly make an end

Of all that faithful hearts long time hath vex'd.

Then, earth, we care no more

To seek thy richest store,

If but this treasure will be still our own;

And he who holds it fast,

Till all this life is past,

Our Lord will crown with joy before His throne.