"Wie soll ich dich empfangen" ("Ah! Lord, how shall I meet Thee", literally: How shall I receive you) is a Christian hymn for Advent by Paul Gerhardt. It was first published in 1653 in the fifth edition of the hymnal Praxis pietatis melica by Johann Crüger, who also created a melody. Johann Sebastian Bach used it as a chorale in his Christmas Oratorio, but with a different melody. Catherine Winkworth translated five of its ten stanzas.
History Paul Gerhardt wrote the lyrics in the first person, beginning with the theme, the question how to receive Jesus who is expected to arrive. The poet alludes to biblical narrations, such as his entry into Jerusalem and the parable of the ten virgins. The lyricist was also inspired by prophetic words from the Old Testament.
The hymn appeared first in the fifth edition of the hymnal Praxis pietatis melica by Johann Crüger in 1653.
Text The song is structured in ten stanzas of eight lines each, in bar form. The singer, speaking in the first person, addresses Jesus, establishing a relationship. The first question is "How shall I receive you?". The first five stanzas, using the verbs "empfangen" (receive) and "umfangen" (surround") expand God's love for humans. The image of a "Fackel" (torch) in the first stanza relates to the parable of the ten virgins, () the image of palm branches offered for the reception is reminiscent of the entry into Jerusalem ().
The later five stanzas describe the condition of the congregation as stressful and threatened by enemies, pointing out especially fear of a day of wrath which is expected in a near future (stanza 6: "steht vor der Tür" (stands at the door, as in ). The term Advent (arrival) appears in four meanings in the following stanzas: in mercy, as redeemer, as king, and as judge.
Catherine Winkworth translated six of its ten stanzas freely, beginning "Ah! Lord, how shall I meet Thee".
German current lyrics English translation1. O Lord, how shall I meet Thee, How welcome Thee aright? Thy people long to greet Thee, My Hope, my heart’s Delight! Oh, kindle, Lord most holy Thy lamp within my breast To do in spirit lowly All that may please Thee best.
2. Thy Zion strews before Thee Green boughs and fairest palms, And I, too, will adore Thee With joyous songs and psalms. My heart shall bloom forever For Thee with praises new And from Thy name shall never Withhold the honor due.
3. What hast Thou e'er neglected For my good here below? When heart and soul dejected, Were sunk in deepest woe, When lost from that high station Where peace and pleasure reign, Thou camest, my Salvation, And mad'st me glad again.
4. I lay in fetters, groaning, Thou com’st to set me free; I stood, my shame bemoaning, Thou com’st to honor me; A glory Thou dost give me, A treasure safe on high, That will not fail or leave me As earthly riches fly.
5. Love caused Thy incarnation, Love brought Thee down to me; Thy thirst for my salvation Procured my liberty. O love beyond all telling, That led Thee to embrace, In love all love excelling, Our lost and fallen race!
6. Rejoice, then, ye sad-hearted, Who sit in deepest gloom, Who mourn o’er joys departed And tremble at your doom. Despair not, He is near you, Yea, standing at the door. Who best can help and cheer you, And bids you weep no more.
7. Ye need not toil nor languish Nor ponder day and night How in the midst of anguish Ye draw Him by your might. He comes, He comes all willing, Moved by His love alone, Your woes and troubles stilling; For all to Him are known.
8. Sin's debt, that fearful burden, Let not your souls distress; Your guilt the Lord will pardon And cover by His grace. He comes, for men procuring The peace of sin forgiven, For all God's sons securing Their heritage in heaven.
9. What though the foes by raging, Heed not their craft and spite; Your Lord, the battle waging, Will scatter all their might. He comes, a King most glorious, And all His earthly foes In vain His course victorious Endeavor to oppose.
10. He comes to judge the nations, A terror to His foes, A Light of consolations And blessèd Hope to those Who love the Lord's appearing. O glorious Sun, now come, Send forth Thy beams so cheering, And guide us safely home!
Melodies and settings
Johann Crüger first published the hymn in 1653 in the fifth edition of the hymnal Praxis pietatis melica by Johann Crüger, with a melody he composed himself.
Dieterich Buxtehude arranged the hymn as a cantata, BuxWV 109. The first stanza from the hymn also appears in Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio,BWV 248.5 but set to Hans Leo Hassler's "Befiehl du deine Wege" melody (Zahn 5385a)—the same melody as "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden",BWV 244.54 which returns in the work's final movement.
In the current Protestant hymnal Evangelisches Gesangbuch, the song is EG 11. It is also part of several other hymnals and songbooks.
References
Further reading Johann Friedrich Bachmann: Paulus Gerhardts geistliche Lieder: historisch-kritische Ausgabe. Oehmigke, Berlin 1866, pp. 95–97 (). Paul Gerhardt: Dichtungen und Schriften. Munich 1957, pp. 1–3.
External links "Wie soll ich dich empfangen", liederprojekt.org, SWR2 and Carus-Verlag "Kalenderblatt 'Wie soll ich dich empfangen?' Ein Adventslied aus dem Jahr 1647" . SWR2, 9 December 2012