Crusader’s Hymn

Psalm 148:1-6

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host! Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. He established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

Beautiful Savior LBW 518

1 Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
   Son of God and Son of Man! Truly I'd love thee,
   truly I'd serve thee, light of my soul, my joy, my crown. 

2 Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands,
   robed in flow'rs of blooming spring; Jesus is fairer,
   Jesus is purer, he makes our sorrowing spirit sing.

3 Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight,
   bright the sparkling stars on high; Jesus shines brighter,
   Jesus shines purer than all the angels in the sky.

4 Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
   Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor,
   praise, adoration, now and forevermore be thine!

Text: Gesangbuch, Münster, 1677; tr. Joseph A. Seiss, 1823-1904

Sometimes called “The Crusader’s Hymn” though it was likely not written until hundreds of years after the final crusade. It may have been sung by the followers of John Hus in the 1400’s.  These Hussite’s were eventually expelled from Slovenia and moved to Silesia where they hid.  Unlike other Protestants of their day, they preserved a strong tradition of hymnody. Though this hymn contains no allusion to persecution, it likely came from this community in exile.  And whoever wrote it was close to nature, recognizing that the only thing fairer than creation, was the Creator. This hymn glories in the change of seasons, especially Spring, but also how creation reveals the glory and wonder of the creator.  In these day of COVID we find ourselves trapped in our homes. In these days of global warming, creation seems to be at war with its creatures, and we wonder if creation is our enemy.  So it is good, even humbling, to stop and sing and consider the beautiful gift God has granted us in Christ, and how even all of creation pales in comparison to Him.

Prayer:  Creator God, keep us mindful that while we so often take the beauty around us for granted and ignore its wonder and fairness, more wondrous yet is the beauty of the gift of Your Son, our savior Jesus.  In these times of neglect, remind is that in Him, all things are possible and all things are redeemed.  Amen