Friend of Souls

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O Friend of souls, how blest the time

Author: Wolfgang Christoph Dessler
Tune: ROCKWELL
Published in 11 hymnals

Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1 O Friend of souls! how blest the time
When in thy love I rest,
When from my weariness I climb
E’en to thy tender breast!
The night of sorrow endeth there,
Thy rays outshine the sun,
And in thy pardon and thy care
The heaven of heavens is won.

2 The world may call itself my foe,
Or flatter and allure:
I care not for the world; I go
To this tried Friend and sure.
And when life’s fiercest storms are sent
Upon life’s wildest sea,
My little bark is confident
Because it holdeth thee.

3 To others death seems dark and grim,
But no, O Lord, to me:
I know thou ne’er forsakest him
Who puts his trust in thee.
Nay, rather, with a joyful heart
I welcome the release
From this dark desert, and depart
To thy eternal peace.

Source: The Ark of Praise #117

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Author: Wolfgang Christoph Dessler

Dessler, Wolfgang Christoph, son of Nicolaus Dessler, jeweller, at Nürnberg, was born at Nürnberg, Feb. 11, 1660. His father wished him to become a goldsmith, but, as he was not physically suited for this, he was permitted to begin the study of theology at the University of Altdorf. His poverty and bodily weakness forced him to leave before completing his course, and, returning to Nurnberg, he supported himself there as a proof reader. Becoming acquainted with Erasmus Finx or Francisci, then residing in Nürnberg, he was employed by Finx as his amanuensis, and at his request translated many foreign religious works into German. In 1705 he was appointed Conrector of the School of the Holy Ghost at Nürnberg, where he laboured with zeal and… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	O Friend of souls, how blest the time
Title:	Friend of Souls
Original Language:	German
Author:	Wolfgang Christoph Dessler
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Tune

ROCKWELL

NAOMI (Nägeli)

NAOMI was a melody that Lowell Mason (PHH 96) brought to the United States from Europe and arranged as a hymn tune; the arrangement was first published in the periodical Occasional Psalm and Hymn Tunes (1836). Some scholars have attributed the original melody to Johann G. Nageli (PHH 315), but there…

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