Fairest Lord Jesus

Münster Gesangbuch, 1662 or 1677
4th verse translated by Joseph A. Seiss, 1873 (1823-1904)
German, Seventeenth Century; Silesian Folk Song, music from
Schlesische Volkslieder, Leipzig, 1842
Descants by William Lester, 1935 and W. Frederic Miller, 1940
Arranged by Richard Storrs Willis 1850 (1819-1900)

1.    Fair-est Lord Je-sus! Rul-er of all na-ture!
    O Thou of God and man the Son! Thee will I cher-ish,
    Thee will I hon-or, Thou my soul's glo-ry, joy and crown!

2.    Fair are the mead-ows, Fair-er still the wood-lands,
    Robed in the bloom-ing garb of spring: Je-sus is fair-er,
    Je-sus is pur-er, Who makes the woe-ful heart to sing.

3.    Fair is the sun-shine, Fair-er still the moon-light,
    And all the twink-ling star-ry host: Je-sus shines bright-er,
    Jes-us shines pur-er Than all the an-gels heav'n can boast.

4.    Beau-ti-ful Sav-ior! Lord of the na-tions!
    Son of God and Son of Man! Glo-ry and hon-or,
    Praise, ad-o-ra-tion Now and for-ev-er-more be Thine!