Beautiful Savior

  

There’s not a lot of information available about today’s hymn. But it’s one that I enjoy, so we’re running with it. 

Wikipedia tells us this about the hymn:

"Fairest Lord Jesus", also known as "Beautiful Savior", is a Christian hymn. 

According to some accounts, it was called "Crusader's Hymn" because it was sung by German Crusaders as they made their way to the Holy Land. But William Jensen Reynolds dismisses as "completely erroneous" any association of this hymn with the Crusades. The words may have originated in the Jesuit Order, which came into being after the Crusades. The tune emerges in Franz Liszt's oratorio Legend of Saint Elizabeth—wherein the tune forms part of the "Crusader's March"—but no evidence of the tune exists prior to 1842, when the hymn appeared in Schlesische Volkslieder.

It was incorporated into the song "Eatnemen Vuelie" composed by Frode Fjellheim which was altered for the opening musical number of 2013 animated film Frozen (2013 film)

The tune, originally a Silesian folk song, and the German text were printed for the first time in 1842 by August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben and Ernst Richter under the name Schönster Herr Jesu (Most beautiful Lord Jesus).

In 1850 the Danish hymnwriter B. S. Ingemann wrote Dejlig Er Jorden, which he set to the same melody. An English translation by Jens C. Aaberg was published as Fair Is Creation. Apart from their musical setting, the Danish and German lyrics are unrelated.

Fair is the sunshine,                        
Fairer the moonlight                        
And all the stars in heav’n above;                        
Jesus shines brighter,                        
Jesus shines purer                        
And brings to all the world his love. 

                       
Fair are the meadows,                        
Fairer the woodlands,                        
Robed in the flowers of blooming spring;                        
Jesus is fairer,                        
Jesus is purer.                        
He makes the sorrowing spirit sing.                    

                   
Beautiful Savior!                        
Lord of the nations!                        
Son of God and Son of Man!                        
Thee will I honor, praise, and give glory,                        
Give praise and glory evermore!                        
Evermore!

I am always open to suggestions for songs to be used, as well as other suggestions you might have for the blog. If you would rather not share that info in the comments, you may email your suggestions.