Beautiful Savior (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 838)
1 Beautiful Savior, King of creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love thee, truly I’d serve thee,
light of my soul, my joy, my crown.
2 Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands,
robed in flow’rs of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
he makes our sorrowing spirit sing.
3 Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight,
bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
than all the angels in the sky.
4 Beautiful Savior, Lord of the nations,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
now and forevermore be thine!
Text: Gesangbuch, Münster; Silesian Folk Tune; Public Domain
Devotion
On June 10, 2017, a group of Colorado Lutherans performed “Beautiful Savior” as part of a recital at the beautiful Wartburg Castle in Germany, celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. We stood on an outdoor staircase that allowed us to see the valley below as we sang. I have sung this song since I was a little girl, but I was not able to sing one note that day. I felt the Holy Spirit as tears poured down my face.
The history, beauty, and power of the moment moved me in profound ways. It was a stirring reminder of the beauty of God and the ways that God’s glory is so much more than we often have the ability to grasp.
Prayer
“Fair are the woodlands, robed in flowers of blooming spring…now and forevermore be thine!” Amen.