Oh, that I Had a Thousand Voices

"Oh, that I Had a Thousand Voices"
by Johann Mentzer, 1658-1734


1. Oh, that I Had a Thousand Voices
To praise my God with thousand tongues!
My heart, which in the Lord rejoices,
Would then proclaim in grateful songs
To all, wherever I might be,
What great things God hath done for me.

2. Dear Father, endless praise I render
For soul and body, strangely joined;
I praise Thee Guardian kind and tender,
For all the noble joys I find
So richly spread on every side
And freely for my use supplied.

3. I praise Thee, Savior, whose compassion
Hath brought Thee down to ransom me;
Thy pitying heart sought my salvation,
Though keenest woes were heaped on Thee,
Brought me from bondage full release,
Made me Thine own and gave me peace.

4. Glory and praise, still onward reaching,
Be Thine, O Spirit of all grace,
Whose holy power and faithful teaching
Give me among Thy saints a place!
Whate'er of good by me is done
Is of Thy grace and light alone.

5. Shall I not, then, be filled with gladness?
Shall I not praise Thee evermore
And triumph over fear and sadness,
E'en when my cup of woe runs o'er?
Though heaven and earth shall pass away,
Thy loving'kindness stands for aye.

Hymn #243
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 148:1
Author: Johann Mentzer, 1704, cento
Translated by: composite
Titled: "O dass ich tausend Zungen haette"
Composer: Kornelius Dretzel, 1731
Tune: "O dass ich tausend"