All My Heart This Night Rejoices - The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

All My Heart This Night Rejoices
Advent
Thou Virgin Soul!
Franz Joachim Buhrmeister
Source: Catherine Winkworth, The Chorale Book For England, 1863
Thou
virgin soul! O thou
The crown of woman's story,
Thy Joseph's bliss and glory,
Thy kinswoman thou seekest now,
There thy faith to cheer and stir
Through what God hath wrought for her.
My faith, alas! Is week,
And where it sees not plainly
It strives to grasp but vainly,
And scarcely cares new strength to seek;
Seeing now what God can do,
May my faith grow stronger too!
Thou Pearl of women, here
Hast to His will resign'd thee,
Thou wilt not look behind thee;
Thy tendr heart, towards one so dear
To thy friends, doth warmly glow,
Loving service fain would show.
God! I lament to Thee,
My will towards good is idle,
And yet I scarce can bridle
Its sinful impulses in me;
May my course hereafter prove
Rich in good works and in love!
At last thou goes forth,
Most loving soul and fairest,
With thee thy Lord thou bearest,
The Father's Word comes down to earth.
Happy thou! That He will be
Thus companion unto thee.
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