1. Ye baptized people, one and all,
Who know your God in heaven,
Ye have received an holy call,
To you Christ's name is given.
Forget ye not, but ponder well,
The precious gifts no tongue can tell,
The blessing of baptism.
2. This washing cleanseth us from sin
And lends a sacred beauty,
It makes us white and pure within,
Incites to love and duty,
From Satan's prison sets us free,
Enables us the sons to be
And heirs of God, our Father.
3. Our sinful nature is renewed,
The curse of God is lifted;
With choicest blessings well endued,
And with the Spirit gifted,
We unto sin are pledged to die
And by the pow'r of God on high
The gates of hell can conquer.
4. Here we with Jesus Christ are clad.
His righteousness receiving,
Which covers what in us is bad,
Our innocence achieving;
His holy blood, for sinners spilt,
Releases us from sin and guilt,
And we with God find favor.
5. O Christians, bear this well in mind
And thank the Lord sincerely
For all the gifts that here you find
And that you prize so dearly,
When nothing else can soothe the soul,
These gifts lend comfort till the goal
Of life on earth appeareth.
Source: American Lutheran Hymnal #41
Paul Gerhardt (b. Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany, 1607; d. Lubben, Germany, 1676), famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg and then was a tutor in Berlin, where he became friends with Johann Crüger. He served the Lutheran parish of Mittenwalde near Berlin (1651-1657) and the great St. Nicholas' Church in Berlin (1657-1666). Friederich William, the Calvinist elector, had issued an edict that forbade the various Protestant groups to fight each other. Although Gerhardt did not want strife between the churches, he refused to comply with the edict because he thought it opposed the Lutheran "Formula of Concord," which condemned some Calvinist doctrines. Consequently, he was r… Go to person page >
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