Scripture Verse

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Introduction

portrait
Nikolaus Hermann (1500–1561)

Words: Ed­ward A. Day­man, 1867, alt.

Music: O hei­lige Drei­fal­tig­keit Ni­ko­laus He­rmann, Die Son­tags euan­ge­li­ca ub­er das gantze Jar (Wit­ten­berg, Ger­ma­ny: 1560) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Day­man (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Almighty Fa­ther, Heav’n and earth
With lav­ish wealth be­fore Thee bow;
Those trea­sures owe to Thee their birth,
Creator, Rul­er, Giv­er, Thou.

The wealth of earth, of sky, of sea,
The gold, the sil­ver, spark­ling gem,
The wav­ing corn, the bend­ing tree,
Are Thine; to us Thou lend­est them.

To Thee, as ear­ly morn­ing’s dew,
Our prais­es, alms, and pray­ers shall rise
As rose, when joy­ous earth was new,
Faith’s pa­tri­arch­al sac­ri­fice.

We, Lord, would lay at Thy be­hest
The cost­li­est of­fer­ings on Thy shrine;
But when we give, and give our best,
We give Thee on­ly what is Thine.

O Fa­ther, whence all bless­ings come;
O Son, dis­pen­ser of God’s store;
O Spi­rit, bear our of­fer­ings home:
Lord, make them Thine for­ev­er­more.