"Now Rest Beneath Night's Shadow"
Verse 1:
Now rest beneath night's shadow
The woodland, field, and meadow,
The world in slumber lies;
But thou, my heart, awake thee,
To prayer and song betake thee;
Let praise to thy Creator rise.
Verse 2:
The radiant sun hath vanished,
His golden rays are banished
By night, the foe of day;
But Christ, the Sun of gladness,
Dispelling all my sadness,
Within my heart holds constant sway.
Verse 3:
The rule of day is over
And shining jewels cover
The heaven's boundless blue.
Thus I shall shine in heaven,
Where crowns of gold are given
To all who faithful prove and true.
Verse 4:
To rest my body hasteth,
Aside its garments casteth,
Types of mortality;
These I put off and ponder
How Christ will give me yonder
A robe of glorious majesty.
Verse 5:
Lord Jesus, who dost love me
Oh, spread Thy wings above me
And shield me from alarm!
Though evil would assail me,
Thy mercy will not fail me:
I rest in Thy protecting arm.
Verse 6:
My loved ones, rest securely,
For God this night will surely
From peril guard you heads.
Sweet slumbers may He send you
And bid His hosts attend you
And through the night watch o'er your beds.
Go to www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/n/o/nowrestb.htm to hear the melody.
There is an article about Paul Gerhardt in this month's "Lutheran Witness" magazine. The history of the Reformation and doctrinal disagreements amongst the Reformers is so very interesting. According to the article, Lutheran and Calvinist pastors "attacked each other ferociously in their sermons" in the 1600's. I recently learned that the German Pietist group who settled the Amana Colonies in Iowa had emigrated from Germany to get away from being persecuted by "angry mobs of Lutherans". And later, groups of Lutherans came to America to avoid having to worship with the Reformed Church. In my opinion, neither side can absolutely prove from the Bible that their doctrine is completely correct on all points.
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