Christ My Song-Logo
Hymn score of: O how shall I describe the pleasure - Ye shall rejoice with unspeakable joy (Carl Johann Philipp Spitta/Richard Massie/Johannes Thomas Rüegg)

Christ My Song - 1474

O how shall I describe the pleasure - Ye shall rejoice with unspeakable joy (Carl Johann Philipp Spitta/Richard Massie/
Johannes Thomas Rüegg)

Ye shall rejoice with unspeakable joy.

1. O how shall I describe the pleasure,
  which penetrates my inmost frame,
that I may call the Lord my treasure,
  my Saviour and Redeemer name;
that in my greatest tribulation
I may find him my consolation,
  and hope, through faith in God's dear Son,
  that my true joy has now begun! PDF - Midi

2. Couldst thou once know, O unbeliever,
  the truth to which thou hast been blind,
thou wouldst awake, as from a fever,
  in grief and agony of mind.
Couldst thou but taste one hour the blessing
of inward peace and joy possessing,
  thou wouldst not lose another day,
  but come to Christ without delay.

3. Time was, when I myself have tasted
  the joys this cold world can bestow;
when precious hours in vain I wasted,
  and pierced myself with many a woe;
from flower to flower like insects hasting,
and pleasure after pleasure tasting,
  till pleasure ended, as it must,
  in disappointment and disgust.

4. There cleaves to this world's fleeting pleasures
  the curse of insufficiency,
she spends, but doth not gather treasures
  to last throughout eternity;
her glittering hoards of boasted treasure
cannot repair, in smallest measure,
  sin's deadly mischief, or contrive
  to save one human soul alive.

5. How different are the joys which greet us,
  when Jesus hath new life bestowed,
when Peace and Comfort come to meet us
  and scatter flowers upon our road;
when at each hour we find sweet healing
for every wound that we are feeling,
  a balsam for our keenest smart,
  a welcome to a Father's heart!

6. Our wants and wishes now are fewer,
  the world around us seems more small,
our joys are simpler far and truer,
  unmixed with bitterness and gall.
Modest and humble in successes,
patient in troubles and distresses,
  we are, and 'tis our pride to be,
  our Saviour's rightful property.

7. Above us lies an open heaven,
  beneath us closed a dread abyss;
we love, because we are forgiven,
  we have true joy, true rest and peace,
answer to prayer, support in trial,
some better thing for each denial;
  the good thing we have chosen is
  our soul's eternal happiness.

8. Thus ever happy in possessing
  the love and favour of our God,
and trusting him for every blessing
  both for our soul's and body's good,
we live prepared always for dying,
ready to quit this world of sighing,
  to reap an undeserved reward,
  and be for ever with the Lord.

Richard Massie, Lyra Domestica I, 1863, 61-63.
Translated from the German Wie soll ich doch die Wonne nennen - Ihr werdet euch freuen mit unaussprechlicher Freude of Carl Johann Philipp Spitta.

            PDF - Midi