Prayerful Hymn
A Prayerful Hymn Regarding False Teachers
O Lord, look down from Heaven, beholdAnd let Thy pity waken:How few are we within Thy fold,Thy saints by men forsaken!True faith seems quenched on every hand,Men suffer not Thy Word to stand;Dark times have us o’ertaken.
With fraud which they themselves inventThy truth they have confounded;Their hearts are not with one consentOn Thy pure doctrine grounded.While they parade with outward show,They lead the people to and fro,In error’s maze astounded.
May God root out all heresyAnd of false teachers rid usWho proudly say: “Now, where is heThat shall our speech forbid us?By right or might we shall prevail;What we determine cannot fail;We own no lord and master.”
Therefore saith God, “I must arise,The poor My help are needing;To Me ascend My people’s cries,And I have heard their pleading.For them My saving Word shall fightAnd fearlessly and sharply smite,The poor with might defending.”
As silver tried by fire is pureFrom all adulteration,So through God’s Word shall men endureEach trial and temptation.Its light beams brighter through the cross,And, purified from human dross,It shines through every nation.
Thy truth defend, O God, and stayThis evil generation;And from the error of their wayKeep Thine own congregation.The wicked everywhere aboundAnd would Thy little flock confound;But Thou art our Salvation.
–Dr. Martin Luther - 1524
O Lord, look down from Heaven, beholdAnd let Thy pity waken:How few are we within Thy fold,Thy saints by men forsaken!True faith seems quenched on every hand,Men suffer not Thy Word to stand;Dark times have us o’ertaken.
With fraud which they themselves inventThy truth they have confounded;Their hearts are not with one consentOn Thy pure doctrine grounded.While they parade with outward show,They lead the people to and fro,In error’s maze astounded.
May God root out all heresyAnd of false teachers rid usWho proudly say: “Now, where is heThat shall our speech forbid us?By right or might we shall prevail;What we determine cannot fail;We own no lord and master.”
Therefore saith God, “I must arise,The poor My help are needing;To Me ascend My people’s cries,And I have heard their pleading.For them My saving Word shall fightAnd fearlessly and sharply smite,The poor with might defending.”
As silver tried by fire is pureFrom all adulteration,So through God’s Word shall men endureEach trial and temptation.Its light beams brighter through the cross,And, purified from human dross,It shines through every nation.
Thy truth defend, O God, and stayThis evil generation;And from the error of their wayKeep Thine own congregation.The wicked everywhere aboundAnd would Thy little flock confound;But Thou art our Salvation.
–Dr. Martin Luther - 1524
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