How Beautifully Shines the Morning Star! Happy Epiphany!
How lovely shines the Morning Star!
The nations see and hail afar the light in Judah shining.
Thou David’s Son of Jacob’s race, my Bridegroom and my King of Grace, for Thee my heart is pining.
Lowly, Holy,
Great and glorious, Thou victorious
Prince of graces, filling all the heavenly places.
About the painting:
Peter Rubens, The Adoration of the Magi, 1624, Oil on panel.
A blessed, holy and joyful Epiphany to you and yours! It so happens this year that the day of Epiphany falls precisely on a Sunday; otherwise, it is normally observed on a Sunday though falling on another day of the week. Epiphany, comes from two Greek words: "epi" and "phaneo" meaning, literally, "to shine out" and then, "manifest." It is the last and final day of Christmas. It is sad to notice how quickly people throw the decorations out after Christmas, thinking Christmas ends on Dec. 26. We keep our creche lit up at night until the very end of Christmas: January 5 the twelfth day of Christmas. Thankfully, today, here in Saint Louis, it is positively "balmy" weather and I will have no plausible excuse for not taking down the lights, creche, etc.
On this Sunday we hear in our churches the account of the visit of these mysterious visitors from the East, the "magi" or "wise men." A star guided them to the Christ child, where they offered their gifts to Him and worshiped Him. Who were they? We do not know. Where exactly did they come from? We are unsure. It would seem clear that they were from lands where the Old Testament prophecies were known and studied. It may well be that they were heirs of one particularly important "wise man" from the East, Daniel, whose time in captivity was used by God to plant His word beyond the people of Israel. The visit of these non-Jewish scholars to the infant Christ signals that the good news of a Savior is good news for all. And that, my friends, is very good news indeed.
The Epiphany season, very short this year because of a very early date of Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, underscores those events in the life of Christ in which we see very clearly that the One who went to the Cross was no mere mortal man, but, as we confess in the Creed, He is: "God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God." During Epiphany we hear about Christ’s first miracle, and His glorious Transfiguration.
One hymn stands over and above so many others in Lutheranism, and that
is quite an accomplishment. The
German title is Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, literally
translated: "How beautifully shines the Morning Star." The hymn is
found in Lutheran Service Book, Number 395. It is the hymn of the day appointed for the festival of Epiphany.
In the extended entry below you will find, first, the seven stanzas of the hymn that I could find, then a translation of Bach’s Cantata BWV I, with the German. Bach used this hymn for BWV I, composed for the Annuciation. It uses two stanzas of the hymn verbatim, and then is a paraphrase of other stanzas. Note particularly the powerfully clear reference to the Savior’s body and blood. You can click on this YouTube link to watch a moving score of Bach’s Cantata, and listen to it at the same time. Yes, dear readers, I know that Bach did not write the words of his Cantatas; but, please let nobody think Bach was careless or unconcerned about the words. His music was intentionally designed to support the text.
O Morning Star
1. How lovely shines the Morning Star!
The nations see and hail afar the light in Judah shining.
Thou David’s Son of Jacob’s race, my Bridegroom and my King of Grace, for Thee my heart is pining.
Lowly, Holy,
Great and glorious, Thou victorious
Prince of graces, filling all the heavenly places.
2. O highest joy by mortals won, true Son of God and Mary’s Son,
Thou high-born King of ages!
Thou art my heart’s most beauteous Flower,
And Thy blest Gospel’s saving power
My raptured soul engages.
Thou mine, I Thine;
Sing hosanna! Heavenly manna
Tasting, eating,
Whilst Thy love in songs repeating.
3. Now richly to my waiting heart,
O Thou, my God, deign to impart
The grace of love undying.
In Thy blest body let me be,
E’en as the branch is in the tree,
Thy life my life supplying.
Sighing, Crying.
For the savor Of Thy favor; resting never, till I rest in Thee forever.
4. A pledge of peace from God I see when Thy pure eyes are turned to me to show me Thy good pleasure.
Jesus, Thy Spirit and Thy Word,
Thy body and Thy blood, afford
My soul its dearest treasure.
Keep me kindly
In Thy favor, O my Savior!
Thou wilt cheer me;
Thy Word calls me to draw near Thee.
5. Thou, mighty Father, in Thy Son didst love me ere Thou hadst begun this ancient world’s foundation.
Thy Son hath made a friend of me, and when in spirit Him I see,
I joy in tribulation.
What bliss is this!
He that liveth to me giveth life forever; nothing me from Him can sever.
6. Lift up the voice and strike the string.
Let all glad sounds of music ring in God’s high praises blended.
Christ will be with me all the way, today, tomorrow, every day, till traveling days be ended.
Sing out, ring out, triumph glorious, O victorious, chosen nation. Praise the God of your salvation.
7. Oh, joy to know that Thou, my Friend, art Lord, beginning without end, the First and Last, Eternal!
And Thou at length–O glorious grace!–
Wilt take me to that holy place, the home of joys supernal.
Amen, Amen!
|
"Wie
Cantata |
|
| 1. Choral Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern Voll Gnad und Wahrheit von dem Herrn, Die süße Wurzel Jesse! Du Sohn Davids aus Jakobs Stamm, Mein König und mein Bräutigam, Hast mir mein Herz besessen, Lieblich, Freundlich, Schön und herrlich, groß und ehrlich, reich von Gaben, Hoch und sehr prächtig erhaben. (Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, verse 1) |
1. Chorale How beautifully the morning star shines, full of grace and truth from the Lord, the sweet branch of Jesse! You, the Son of David from the root of Jacob, my King and my bridegroom, have possessed my heart; loving, friendly, beautiful and glorious, great and noble, rich with gifts, exalted and most magnificently sublime. |
| 2. Recitativ T Du wahrer Gottes und Marien Sohn, Du König derer Auserwählten, Wie süß ist uns dies Lebenswort, Nach dem die ersten Väter schon So Jahr’ als Tage zählten, Das Gabriel mit Freuden dort In Bethlehem verheißen! O Süßigkeit, o Himmelsbrot, Das weder Grab, Gefahr noch Tod Aus unsern Herzen reißen. |
2. Recitative T You, very son of God and Mary, You, king of the chosen ones, how sweet is Your living word to us, by which our forefathers already counted years as well as days, that Gabriel joyfully promised there in Bethlehem! O sweetness, o bread of heaven, that neither grave, danger or death can wrest from our hearts. |
| 3. Arie S Erfüllet, ihr himmlischen göttlichen Flammen, Die nach euch verlangende gläubige Brust! Die Seelen empfinden die kräftigsten Triebe Der brünstige Liebe Und schmecken auf Erden die himmlische Lust. |
3. Aria S Fill utterly, you divine celestial flames, this faithful breast that longs for you! Our souls feel the most powerful urges of burning love and taste on earth heavenly delight. |
| 4. Recitativ B Ein irdscher Glanz, ein leiblich Licht Rührt meine Seele nicht; Ein Freudenschein ist mir von Gott entstanden, Denn ein vollkommnes Gut, Des Heilands Leib und Blut, Ist zur Erquickung da. So muß uns ja Der überreiche Segen, Der uns von Ewigkeit bestimmt Und unser Glaube zu sich nimmt, Zum Dank und Preis bewegen. |
4. Recitative B An earthly flash, a corporeal light does not stir my soul; a joyful radiance has been raised up for me by God, for a perfect Good, the body and blood of the Savior, is here for refreshment. Indeed, we must therefore – for this overwhelming blessing that has been eternally destined for us and takes our faith to itself – be moved to thanks and praise. |
| 5. Arie T Unser Mund und Ton der Saiten Sollen dir Für und für Dank und Opfer zubereiten. Herz und Sinnen sind erhoben, Lebenslang Mit Gesang, Großer König, dich zu loben. |
5. Aria T Our mouths and the tones of strings shall for You for ever and ever be ready in thanks and in offering. Heart and mind are lifted up, life-long in song, great King, to praise You. |
| 6. Choral Wie bin ich doch so herzlich froh, Daß mein Schatz ist das A und O, Der Anfange und das Ende; Er wird mich doch zu seinem Preis Aufnehmen in das Paradeis, Des klopf ich in die Hände. Amen! Amen! Komm, du schöne Freudenkrone, bleib nicht lange, Deiner wart ich mit Verlangen. (Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, verse 7) |
6. Chorale How happy I am, that my precious one is the A and O, the beginning and the end; He will claim me as his prize and take me to Paradise, which I will clasp in my hands. Amen! Amen! Come, you lovely crown of joy, do not delay, I await you with longing. |
| "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern:" Philipp Nicolai (verses 1,7 - mov’ts. 1 and 6; source for the other movements) |
|
Thanks for the great info. One of my Greek teachers likes to say that “epi” on the front of a verb usually focuses or directs the action. How wonderful it is to remember that the Christ came into the world for a specific task, not randomly, but for a purpose—pro nobis.
For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth (Jn. 18:37).