Friday, October 16, 2015

143. Hymn for the 8th Sunday after Trinity

Again I'm skipping over a Sunday, since I wrote a hymn in 2007 that answers for the 7th Sunday after Trinity. As for the 8th ditto, the Epistle is Romans 8:12-17, the paragraph immediately preceding that of the 4th ditto. The Gospel is Matthew 7:15-23, near the end of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. I know of two tunes that could be used for this hymn: HEILGER GEIST, DU TRĂ–STER MEIN, a 15th century German melody published in Bremen in 1633, and here placed above the following hymn; and ST. PHILIP by William H. Monk, 1823-89, below it.
Little children, be alert
Lest false guides your way pervert!
For the foe designs your hurt.

Clad as Jesus' little lambs,
They are hungry wolves; their shams
Tear the flock; their teaching damns.

You shall know them by their fruit,
Bad or good, as with the root;
Therefore, brethren, be astute!

No good comes if you imbibe
Teachings of that wicked tribe;
Only to sound words subscribe!

Even some who call Christ Lord
Shall on His day be abhorred;
Faithfulness He will reward.

So then are we, ransomed host,
Debtors to the Holy Ghost
For the gift we need the most:

Faith, by which He comes to dwell
In us, leading our steps well,
Changing us from sons of hell.

By His witness in our heart
We receive a second start
As God's children, set apart;

And if children, also heirs
With His Son, who gladly shares
Peace to soothe our daily cares.

Little lambs, your Lord is great;
Though in woe you walk and wait,
He will keep your footsteps straight.

Christ will make you truly wise,
Armored from the devil's lies,
Till you taste of Paradise.

Amen, Jesus! Quickly come,
Lest to wolves your flock succumb!
Bear us, Savior, safely home!

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