Praise God! for forth hath sounded

The noble word of joy and peace,

There’s rest where strife abounded,

The sword and spear their murders cease.

Up! up! again, and bring ye

Now forth the sounding lyre,

O Germany! and sing ye

In full and noble choir,

Your hearts and minds now raise ye

And thank the Lord, and say,

“Thy grace and goodness praise we

For they endure for aye!”

’Twere just if God were driving

Us in dire wrath from ’fore His face,

For with us still are thriving

The thorns of sin that grow apace.

In deed and truth we feel it—

His rod of chastisement!

But say whoe’er can tell it—

Who are they who repent?

We’re only evil ever,

God’s true continually,

He helpeth to deliver

From war and misery.

With grateful hearts o’erflowing

We greet thee, noble gift of peace!

Where’er thou dwell’st, now knowing

How richly thou dost ever bless.

God to thy keeping giveth

Our good and happiness,

Who woundeth thee and grieveth,

In his own heart doth press

Grief’s arrow, and in madness

He quencheth in the land

The golden light of gladness

With suicidal hand.

What could this lesson ever

Grave on our hearts so solemnly,

As forts laid low for ever,

And towns that now in ruins lie:

As fair and fertile meadows

That wav’d with golden grain,

Now wrapt in forest shadows

And run to waste again.

As graves full of the buried,

Who fell in the dread hour

Of battle in ranks serried,

Whose like we’ll see no more.

O man! be now afflicted,

And let thy tears in torrents flow,

With countenance dejected

To ponder to thy closet go;

What heretofore hath given

Thy God, didst thou deride,

Thy Father who’s in Heaven

Now turn’d hath to thy side.

From fury and from pressing

He turneth for thy good,

As if by love and blessing

Constrain thy heart He would.

Awake thee! now awake thee!

Thou hard, cold world awaken’d be;

Ere doom’s dread hour o’ertake thee,

By thee unlook’d for, suddenly.

Ye for the Saviour living!

Unshaken be your mood,

The peace He now is giving

Can only bring us good.

This lesson He is giving,

The end of all is nigh,

Thou shalt with Him be living

In peace eternally.