"Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty"
                        by Benjamin Schmolck, 1672-1737
                 Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878
                                  Text From:
                     THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
               (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942)p.3



        1. Open now Thy gates of beauty,
        Zion, let me enter there,
        Where my soul in joyful duty
        Waits for Him who answers prayer.
        Oh, how blessed is this place,
        Filled with solace, light, and grace!

        2. Lord, my God, I come before Thee,
        Come Thou also unto me;
        Where we find Thee and adore Thee,
        There a heaven on earth must be.
        To my heart, oh, enter Thou,
        Let it be Thy temple now!

        3. Here Thy praise is gladly chanted,
        Here Thy seed is duly sown;
        Let my soul, where it is planted,
        Bring forth precious sheaves alone,
        So that all I hear may be
        Fruitful unto life in me.

        4. Thou my faith increase and quicken,
        Let me keep Thy gift divine,
        Howsoe'er temptations thicken;
        May Thy Word still o'er me shine
        As my guiding star through life,
        As my comfort in my strife.

        5. Speak, O God, and I will hear Thee,
        Let Thy will be done indeed;
        May I undisturbed draw near Thee
        While Thou dost Thy people feed.
        Here of life the fountain flows,
        Here is balm for all our woes.

        

        Notes:
        Hymn #1 from _The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal_
        Text: Ps. 100:4
        Author: Benjamin Schmolck, 1732, cento
        Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863, alt.
        Titled: "Tut mir auf die schoene Pforte"
        Composer: Joachim Neander, 1680
        Tune: "Neander"

           

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