"O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold"
                        by Dr. Martin Luther, 1483-1546
                                  Text From:
                      THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
             (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942), p. 191


        O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold

        1. O Lord, look down from heaven, behold
        And let Thy pity waken:
        How few are we within Thy Fold,
        Thy saints by men forsaken!
        True faith seems quenched on every hand,
        Men suffer not Thy Word to stand;
        Dark times have us o'ertaken.

        2. With fraud which they themselves invent
        Thy truth they have confounded;
        Their hearts are not with one consent
        On Thy pure doctrine grounded.
        While they parade with outward show,
        They lead the people to and fro,
        In error's maze astounded.

        3. May God root out all heresy
        And of false teachers rid us
        Who proudly say: "Now, where is he
        That shall our speech forbid us?
        By right or might we shall prevail;
        What we determine cannot fail;
        We own no lord and master."

        4. Therefore saith God, "I must arise,
        The poor My help are needing;
        To Me ascend My people's cries,
        And I have heard their pleading.
        For them My saving Word shall fight
        And fearlessly and sharply smite,
        The poor with might defending."

        5. As silver tried by fire is pure
        From all adulteration,
        So through God's Word shall men endure
        Each trial and temptation.
        Its light beams brighter through the cross,
        And, purified from human dross,
        It shines through every nation.

        6. Thy truth defend, O God, and stay
        This evil generation;
        And from the error of their way
        Keep Thine own congregation.
        The wicked everywhere abound
        And would Thy little flock confound;
        But Thou art our Salvation.

        ___________________________________________________
        Notes:
        260 for the Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal
        Text: Ps. 12
        Author: Martin Luther, 1523
        Translated by: composite
        Titled: Ach Gott vom Himmel, sieh darein
        Tune: Ach Gott vom Himmel
        1st Published in: "Enchiridion"
        Town: Erfurt, 1524
        ________________________________________________________________

        This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg
        by Cindy A. Beesley and is in the public domain.  You may
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        comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther
        Library at Concordia Theological Seminary.

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