LSB #556 "Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  Psalm 98:1-3, 2 Timothy 1:9-10, Galatians 4:4-5, Romans 3:28

Psalm 98:1-3:  "1 Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things!  His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.  2 The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.  3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.  All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God."

2 Timothy 1:9-10:  "9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,"

Galatians 4:4-5:  "4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."

Romans 3:28:  "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law."

+++

The text is public domain:

Dear Christians, one and all, rejoice,

With exultation springing,

And with united heart and voice

And holy rapture singing,

Proclaim the wonders God has done,

How His right arm the vic'try won.

What price our ransom cost Him!

Fast bound in Satan's chains I lay;

Death brooded darkly o'er me.

Sin was my torment night and day;

In sin my mother bore me.

But daily deeper still I fell;

My life became a living hell,

So firmly sin possessed me.

My own good works all came to naught,

No grace or merit gaining;

Free will against God's judgement fought,

Dead to all good remaining.

My fears increased till sheer despair

Left only death to be my share;

The pangs of hell I suffered.

But God had seen my wretched state

Before the world's foundation,

And mindful of His mercies great,

He planned for my salvation.

He turned to me a father's heart;

He did not choose the easy part

But gave His dearest treasure.

God said to His belovèd Son:

"It's time to have compassion.

Then go, bright jewel of My crown,

And bring to all salvation.

From sin and sorrow set them free;

Slay bitter death for them that they

May live with You forever."

The Son obeyed His Father's will,

Was born of virgin mother;

And God's good pleasure to fulfill,

He came to be my brother.

His royal pow'r disguised He bore;

A servant's form, like mine, He wore

To lead the devil captive.

To me He said: "Stay close to Me,

I am your rock and castle.

Your ransom I Myself will be;

For you I strive and wrestle.

For I am yours, and you are Mine,

And where I am you may remain;

The foe shall not divide us.

"Though he will shed My precious blood,

Me of My life bereaving,

All this I suffer for your good;

Be steadfast and believing.

Life will from death the vict'ry win;

My innocence shall bear your sin,

And you are blest forever.

"Now to My Father I depart,

From earth to heav'n ascending,

And, heav'nly wisdom to impart,

The Holy Spirit sending;

In trouble He will comfort you

And teach you always to be true

And into truth shall guide you.

"What I on earth have done and taught

Guide all your life and teaching;

So shall the kingdom's work be wrought

And honored in your preaching.

But watch lest foes with base alloy

The heav'nly treasure should destroy;

This final word I leave you."

+++

The passage from Psalm 98 appears in the first verse.

The lines "My own good works all came to naught, / No grace or merit gaining" in the third verse seem to reference 2 Timothy 1:9 and Romans 3:28.  2 Timothy 1:9-10 appears more clearly, however, in the fourth verse:  "But God had seen my wretched state / Before the world's foundation, / And mindful of His mercies great, / He planned for my salvation."

The fifth and sixth verses come from Galatians 4:4-5, although "Slay bitter death for them that they / May live with You forever" seems to come from 2 Timothy 1:10 ("our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death").

+++

The line "In sin my mother bore me" in the second verse seems to come from Psalm 51:5:  "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me."

The line "A servant's form, like mine, He wore" in the sixth verse refers to Philippians 2:7:  "but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men."

The ninth verse, in which Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, seems to draw from John 14.