This beautifully ancient text originates as an anonymous Latin Ascension hymn (Jesu nostra redemptio, amor et desiderium) dating to the seventh or eighth century. In the medieval Church, it had no fixed time of day for singing and was assigned variously to the daily prayer offices of Matins, Lauds, Vespers, or Compline. John Chandler translated it into English in 1837, with the specific goal of seeing "the ancient prayers of the Anglican liturgy accompanied by hymns of a corresponding date of composition." While originally assigned for the Ascension, the Lutheran Service Book moved it to the broader "Redeemer" category so that congregations could enjoy this rich text more frequently throughout the church year. The hymn is a profound confession of who Christ is for us: our hope, our hearts' desire, our present joy, and our future reward. Calling Jesus our "hearts' desire" in stanza 1 strongly evokes the famous words of St. Augustine in his Confessions: "Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee," asserting that only in Christ can every human longing be truly satisfied. Stanza 5 declares Christ to be our "present joy" (drawing on John 16:33) and then looks forward to Him as our "future great reward," anticipating that finally seeing Him in heaven will far exceed anything we could possibly ask or imagine.
Sung at Our Saviour
2026