I lift my eyes unto heaven above

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I lift my eyes unto heaven above

Translator: Ernest Edwin Ryden; Author: Johann Ludvig Runeberg
Tune: I LIFT MY EYES
Published in 4 hymnals

Representative Text

1 I lift my eyes unto heaven above,
And fold my hands to draw near thee;
For thou, dear Lord, dost thy children love,
And thou hast promised to hear me.

2 How sweet to bless thee and praise thy Name,
For thou, O Christ, art my Saviour;
Kind Shepherd, guard me from sin and shame,
And let me love thee forever.

3 A little flower in thy garden fair,
My life to thee has been given;
O Saviour, keep me in thy dear care,
And bring me safely to heaven.

4 Dear Lord, I thank thee for all thy love
And gifts divine beyond measure;
A sweeter song I will raise above
To thee, my heart's dearest treasure.

Source: Service Book and Hymnal of the Lutheran Church in America #396

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Translator: Ernest Edwin Ryden

Ernest Edwin Ryden is a distinguished Lutheran clergyman who has been a life-long student of hymns. At present he is pastor of Emanuel Lutheran Church in North Grosvenordale, Connecticut. This is the latest of a long series of services he has rendered in the Lutheran Church. For twenty-seven years he was editor of "The Lutheran Companion," the official organ of the former Augustana Lutheran Church. His contributions to hymnody were many. He was a member of the Committee which created the Augustana Hymnal of 1925 to which he contributed eight original hymns and translations. He was co-editor of the Junior Hymnal for which he wrote a number of hymns. He was secretary of the committee which prepared the Service Book and Hymnal. Here again he h… Go to person page >

Author: Johann Ludvig Runeberg

Runeberg, Johan Ludvig. (Jacobstad, Finland, February 5, 1804--May 6, 1877, Borgå). Lutheran. Educated at University of Åbo. Secretary to the Council of the University, 1830-1836. Chair of Latin at Borgå College, 1837-1847; rector, 1847-1850. Author of The Grave of Perrho, 1831, verse romances of Finnish life; The Elk Hunter; Hanna, and Fänrik Ståls sänger, patriotic poems on the war of independence. National poet of Finland. Editor of the Swedish hymnal for the Finnish church, 1857, which included 57 of his texts and nine of his translations or revisions. Author of "Hur ljuft det är att komma" (What Joy There Is in Coming). --Likely J. Irving Erickson, DNAH Archives Go to person page >

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