Scripture Verse

Ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. Hebrews 1:14

Introduction

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Philipp Melanchthon
1497–1560

Words: Phi­lipp Me­lanch­thon, in De An­ge­lis Duo Hym­ni (Wit­ten­berg, Ger­ma­ny: 1534) (Di­ci­mus gra­tes ti­bi, sum­me re­rum). Trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Ge­rman by Paul Eber in Ein schön new geist­lich Lob­ge­sang (Nur­em­berg, Ger­ma­ny: cir­ca 1554) (Herr Gott, dich lo­ben alle wir), and from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ema­nu­el Cron­en­wett in the Ohio Lu­the­ran Hym­nal, 1880, alt.

Music: Old 100th, at­trib­ut­ed to Lou­is Bour­geois, in Four Score and Se­ven Psalms of Da­vid (Ge­ne­va, Swit­zer­land: 1551) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

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Emanuel Cronenwett (1841–1931)

Lyrics

Lord God, we all to Thee give praise,
Thanksgivings meet to Thee we raise,
That angel hosts Thou didst create
Around Thy glo­ri­ous throne to wait.

They shine with light and heav’nly grace
And constantly behold Thy face;
They heed Thy voice, they know it well,
In godly wisdom they excel.

They ne­ver rest nor sleep as we;
Their whole delight is but to be
With Thee, Lord Je­sus, and to keep
Thy little flock, Thy lambs and sheep.

The ancient dragon is their foe;
His envy and his wrath they know.
It always is his aim and pride
Thy Chris­tian people to divide.

As he of old deceived the world
And into sin and death was hurled,
So now he subtly lies in wait
To ruin school and Church and state.

A roaring lion round he goes,
No halt nor rest he ever knows;
He seeks the Christians to devour
And slay them by his dreadful power.

But watchful is the angel band
That follows Christ on every hand
To guard His people where they go
And break the counsel of the Foe.

For this, now and in days to be,
Our praise shall rise, O Lord, to Thee,
Whom all the angel hosts adore
With grateful songs for­ev­er­more.