"One Thing's Needful; Lord, This Treasure" by Johann H. Schroeder, 1667-1699 Translated by Frances E. Cox, 1812-1897 Text From: THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941) 1. One thing's needful; Lord this treasure Teach me highly to regard; All else, though it first give pleasure, Is a yoke that presses hard. Beneath it the heart is still fretting and striving, No true, lasting happiness ever deriving. The gain of this one thing all loss can requite And teach me in all things to find true delight. 2. Wilt thou find this one thing needful, Turn from all created things Unto Jesus and be heedful Of the blessed joy He brings. For where God and Man both in one are united, With God's perfect fulness the heart is delighted; There, there is the worthiest lot and the best, My One and my All and my Joy and my Rest. 3. How were Mary's thoughts devoted, Her eternal joy to find As intent each word she noted, At her Savior's feet reclined! How kindled her heart, how devout was its feeling, While hearing the lessons that Christ was revealing! For Jesus all earthly concerns she forgot, And all was repaid in that one happy lot. 4. Thus my longings, heavenward tending, Jesus, rest alone on Thee. Help me, thus on Thee depending; Savior come and dwell in me. Although all the world should forsake and forget Thee, In love I will follow Thee, ne'er will I quit Thee. Lord Jesus, both spirit and life is Thy Word; And is there a joy which Thou dost not afford? 5. Wisdom's highest, noblest treasure, Jesus, lies concealed in Thee; Grant that this "One Thing's Needful; Lord, This Treasure" by Johann H. Schroeder, 1667-1699 Translated by Frances E. Cox, 1812-1897 Text From: THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941) 1. One thing's needful; Lord this treasure Teach me highly to regard; All else, though it first give pleasure, Is a yoke that presses hard. Beneath it the heart is still fretting and striving, No true, lasting happiness ever deriving. The gain of this one thing all loss can requite And teach me in all things to find true delight. 2. Wilt thou find this one thing needful, Turn from all created things Unto Jesus and be heedful Of the blessed joy He brings. For where God and Man both in one are united, With God's perfect fulness the heart is delighted; There, there is the worthiest lot and the best, My One and my All and my Joy and my Rest. 3. How were Mary's thoughts devoted, Her eternal joy to find As intent each word she noted, At her Savior's feet reclined! How kindled her heart, how devout was its feeling, While hearing the lessons that Christ was revealing! For Jesus all earthly concerns she forgot, And all was repaid in that one happy lot. 4. Thus my longings, heavenward tending, Jesus, rest alone on Thee. Help me, thus on Thee depending; Savior come and dwell in me. Although all the world should forsake and forget Thee, In love I will follow Thee, ne'er will I quit Thee. Lord Jesus, both spirit and life is Thy Word; And is there a joy which Thou dost not afford? 5. Wisdom's highest, noblest treasure, Jesus, lies concealed in Thee; Grant that this may still the measure Of my will and actions be, Humility there and simplicity reigning, In paths of true wisdom my steps ever training. Oh, if I of Christ have this knowledge divine, The fulness of heavenly wisdom is mine. 6. Naught have I, O Christ, to offer Naught but Thee, my highest Good. Naught have I, O Lord, to proffer But Thy crimson-colored blood. Thy death on the cross hath Death wholly defeated And thereby my righteousness fully completed; Salvation's white raiments I there did obtain, And in them in glory with Thee I shall reign. 7. Therefore Thou alone, my Savior, Shalt be All in all to me; Search my heart and my behavior, Root out all hypocrisy. Restrain me from wandering on pathways unholy And through all life's pilgrimage keep my heart lowly. This one thing is needful, all others are vain; I count all but loss that I Christ may obtain. ________________________________________________ Notes: Hymn #366 from _The Lutheran Hymnal_ Text: Luke 10:42 Author: Johann H. Schroeder, 1697, cento Translated by: Frances E. Cox, 1841, alt. Composer: Friedrich Layriz, 1849 Tune: "Eins ist not" ______________________________________________________________________ This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg by Marilyn F. Gardner 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) 452-2148 Fax: (219) 452-2126 ______________________________________________________________________