Am I on earth alone and friendless stranger?

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Am I on earth alone and friendless stranger?

Author: Christoph Reusner; Translator: Catherine Winkworth (1863)
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

Am I on earth alone and friendless stranger?
When shall these days be past of fear and danger,
When shall I find some respite, some relief,
From this unsleeping pain, this haunting grief?

The joyful sun may bring another morning,
I wake to care, to conscience' voice of warning;
The soft moon comes with silent night and sleep,
And bringeth nought to me but time to weep.

My heart and soul faint, smitten by Thine arrow,
Keen as a fire that pierceth to the marrow;
From morn to eventide where'er I flee
I find no hiding-place, great God, from Thee.

Vain are my prayers, vainly I weep my errors,
While Thou dost strive against me with Thy terrors;
The zeal of Thy just anger and Thy might
Have plunged my soul in blackest depths of night.

Oh that I had a dove's swift wings, I'd hie me
To some far mountain-top where none came nigh me!
Yet could I not escape His mighty hand
Before whom all things bare and open stand.

Nay, all He sends me let me suffer rather,
Though still His angry storms around me gather;
A willing heart and patient mind, O God,
I bring to Thy severe but righteous rod.

Much have I sinn'd, and utterly I perish,
If memory of my sin Thou still will cherish;
Yet, Lord of Hosts, doth not Thy Word proclaim
The Merciful is Thy most glorious name!

Source: Chorale Book for England, The #43

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Author: Christoph Reusner

Reusner, Christoph, was a bookseller and bookbinder in Stockholm, and was probably born there, but date of birth is unknown. In 1675 he printed, and seems also to have edited, a collection of hymns for the German congregation at Stockholm, entitled Gottselige Haus-und Kirchen-Andacht, zu Dienst der Gemeine der Teutschen Kirche in Stockholm. This work contains a number of hymns signed "R," which have been ascribed to Reusner. By others this "R" has been taken to mean Regina, i.e. the Queen of Sweden [Ulrike Eleonoro, daughter of King Frederick in. of Denmark, born at Copenhagen, Sept. 11, 1656; became Queen of Sweden by her marriage with Charles xi. in 1680; died at Carlberg, July 26, 1693], but this ascription seems quite improbable. One of… Go to person page >

Translator: Catherine Winkworth

Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Am I on earth alone and friendless stranger?
German Title:	Bin ich allein ein Fremdling auf
Author:	Christoph Reusner
Translator:	Catherine Winkworth (1863)
Language:	English
Publication Date:	1863
Copyright:	This text is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before 1929.