Fairest Lord Jesus

UMH # 189

Scripture meditation

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels heaven can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

lyrics by unknown German Jesuit

music Silesian folk song "Crusader's Hymn"

arranged. by Richard Willis 1850

translated to English in part by Joseph Seiss 1873 

The verses in red, above, are absent from the UMH.  The last verse calls to mind a quote from John Chrysostome in the 4th century.  "I do not think of Christ as God alone, or man alone, but both together.  For I know He was hungry, and I know that with five loaves He fed five thousand.  I know He was thirsty, and I know that He turned water into wine.  I know He was carried on a ship, and I know that He walked on the sea.  I know that He died, and I know that He raised the dead.  I know that He was set before Pilate, and I know that He sits with the Father on His throne.  I know that He was worshipped by the angels, and I know that He was stoned by the Jews.  And truly, some of these I ascribe to the human, and others to the divine nature.  For by reason of this He is said to have been both God and man."