“Oh, Enter, Lord, Thy Temple”

A hymn for Pentecost

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As the Church continues its celebration of Pentecost during the Octave of Pentecost, I would like to bring to your hymnic peripheral a beautiful hymn by Paul Gerhardt. It last appeared in a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) hymnal with its appearance in The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH, #228). It also appears in the Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary (ELH, #400), a hymnal of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS). You will note that stanzas 1–2, 4–7, 13 are taken from TLH, while stanzas 3, 8–12 are taken from the Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book (ELHB), the first English-language hymnal of the LCMS.

The hymn in its entirety appears on The Free Lutheran Chorale-Book, found here, from which the text below is copied. The hymn’s tune is also available via the link. (I highly suggest digging around the Lutheran Chorale-Book online; it is a wonderful resource that includes several timeless Lutheran chorales, and also includes full-length hymns, whereas our hymnals may exclude verses from various hymns. I encourage you to peruse the website in your spare time).

Gerhardt’s marvelous Pentecost hymn is a masterful testament to the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Gerhardt faithfully describes the Spirit as the “true Anointing Oil” with which we are consecrated in the waters of Holy Baptism. The gift of the Holy Spirit, Gerhardt proclaims, is joy (vs. 5), and the Spirit delights in Christian concord (vs. 6-7). We are united as one Church, called by the Gospel and enlightened by the Spirit’s gifts, in the unity of our Triune God, to which the Spirit attests.

The tune of this Pentecost hymn is Zeuch ein. As far as I can discern, this is the only hymn prescribed with this tune, though I would certainly not quote myself, and I would ask for correction if possible. In an age of Christianity bewildered by theological misappropriation and overtaken by erroneous pentecostal doctrines, Gerhardt’s wonderful hymn faithfully exposits the person and work of the Holy Spirit, who came to illumine Christ and His teachings as revealed in sacred Scripture. I pray it is a blessing to all throughout this continued celebration of the Feast of Pentecost.

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1. O enter, Lord, Thy temple,
Be Thou my spirit’s Guest,
Who gavest me, the earth-born,
A second birth more blest!
Thou in the Godhead, Lord,
Though here to dwell Thou deignest,
Forever equal reignest,
Art equally adored.

2. Oh, enter, let me know Thee
And feel Thy pow’r within,
The pow’r that breaks our fetters
And rescues us from sin!
Oh, wash and cleanse Thou me
That I may serve Thee truly
And render honor duly
With perfect heart to Thee!

3. An olive wild by nature
Thou graftedst me anew;
Death preyed upon my vitals
And claimed me as his due;
But Christ’s atoning blood,
In death true comfort granting,
Drowned death with all his vaunting,
In His baptismal flood.

4. Thou art, O Holy Spirit,
The true anointing Oil
Through which are consecrated
Soul, body, rest, and toil
To Christ, whose guardian wings,
Where’er their lot appointed,
Protects His own anointed,
His prophets, priests, and kings.

5. Thou, Holy Spirit, teachest
The soul to pray aright;
Thy songs have sweetest music,
Thy prayers have wondrous might.
Unheard they cannot fall,
They pierce the highest heaven
Till He His help hath given
Who surely helpeth all.

6. Thy gift is joy, O Spirit,
Thou wouldst not have us pine;
In darkest hours Thy comfort
Doth ever brightly shine.
And, oh, how oft Thy voice
Hath shed its sweetness o’er me
And opened heav’n before me
And bid my heart rejoice!

7. All love is Thine, O Spirit;
Thou hatest enmity;
Thou lovest peace and friendship,
All strife wouldst have us flee.
Where wrath and discord reign,
Thy whisper kindly pleadeth
And to the heart that heedeth
Brings love and light again.

8. The whole wide world, O Spirit,
Upon Thy hands doth rest;
Our wayward hearts Thou turnest
As it may seem Thee best;
Once more Thy pow’r make known,
As Thou hast done so often,
Convert the wicked, soften
Thou all the hearts of stone.

9. O Holy Spirit, hear us
And make our sorrow cease;
Thy scattered flock restore now
To union, joy, and peace;
Bid flourish once again
The lands by men forsaken,
The churches spoiled and shaken
By war’s unhallowed train.

10. On those that rule our country,
Oh! show’r Thy blessings down
And in Thy loving-kindness
Adorn, as with a crown,
With piety our youth,
With godliness our nation,
That all, to gain salvation,
May know Thy heav’nly truth.

11. With holy zeal then fill us
To keep the faith still pure;
And bless our lands and houses
With wealth that may endure;
And make the Foe to flee,
Who in us with Thee striveth,
From out our heart he driveth
Whate’er delighteth Thee.

12. Grant steadfastness and courage
That bravely we contend
Against the wiles of Satan;
O Lord, Thy flock defend!
Help us to battle well,
To triumph o’er the devil,
To overcome the evil
And all the pow’rs of hell.

13. Our paths in all things order
According to Thy mind,
And when this life is over
And all must be resigned,
Oh, grant us then to die
With calm and fearless spirit
And after death inherit
Eternal life on high!

Text: Paul Gerhardt, 1653; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1863, alt.
Source: Stanzas 1–2, 4–7, 13, The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, No. 228.
Stanzas 3, 8–12, Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book, 1927, No. 252.

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