Paul Gerhardt (1607-76) built this hymn on a prose "Prayer for the Love of Christ" in Johann Arndt's devotional book Paradiesgärtlein (1612). His sixteen-stanza version, "O Jesu Christ, mein schönstes Licht," appeared in the 1653 edition of Johann Crüger's Praxis Pietatis Melica, in the section on the Christian life. It reached English through John Wesley. Sailing to Georgia in 1735 to serve as a missionary in Savannah, Wesley met a company of Moravians, followers of Count Zinzendorf, whose singing so captivated him that he translated many of their hymns. His version of this one appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems (1739) under the heading "Living by Christ." The hymn prays that nothing may dwell in the soul "but Thy pure love alone," that "every act, word, thought be love." The Lutheran Hymnal and Lutheran Worship set it to VATER UNSER, the Lord's Prayer chorale; LSB follows Lutheran Book of Worship in using RYBURN by Norman Cocker (1889-1953), a tune chosen for how well it suits the hopefulness of the text. LSB appoints it as the Hymn of the Day for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.
Sung at Our Saviour
2026