"Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People" by Johann Olearius, 1635-1711 Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878 Text From: THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942)p.50 1. Comfort, comfort, ye My people, Speak ye peace, thus saith our God; Comfort those who sit in darkness, Mourning 'neath their sorrows' load. Speak ye to Jerusalem Of the peace that waits for them; Tell her that her sins I cover And her warfare now is over. 2. Yea, her sins our God will pardon, Blotting out each dark misdeed; All that well deserved His anger He no more will see or heed. She hath suffered many a day, Now her griefs have passed away; God will change her pining sadness Into ever-springing gladness. 3. Hark, the Herald's voice is crying In the desert far and near, Bidding all men to repentance Since the Kingdom now is here. Oh, that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way; Let the valleys rise to meet Him And the hills bow down to greet Him. 4. Make ye straight what long was crooked, Make the rougher places plain; Let your hearts be true and humble, As befits His holy reign. For the glory of the Lord Now o'er earth is shed abroad, And all flesh shall see the token That His Word is never broken. _______________________________________________________ Notes: Hymn #61 from _The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal_ Text: Is. 40:1-8 Author: Johann Olearius, 1671 Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863, alt. Titled: "Troestet, troestet meine Lieben" Tune: "Freu dich sehr" 1st Published in: _Genevan Psalter_, 1551 ______________________________________________________________ This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by Cindy A. Beesley and is in the public domain. You may freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther Library at Concordia Theological Seminary. E-mail: bob_smith@ctsfw.edu Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA Phone: (219) 452-2148Fax: (219) 452-2126 ______________________________________________________________