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Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Walther on a ship—his Good Friday, Easter poems: "I swim on the sea of grace" (Der Lutheraner, 1888)

      While searching for materials for Passion Week and Easter, I happened to come across the wonderful posthumous publication in Der Lutheraner of poems that Prof. C. F. W. Walther composed in his diary.  Prof. Martin Günther gave the following information in a footnote:
*) Since the state of health of the blessed man had become a most anxious one, in February 1860, at the request of the Synod, he traveled to Germany to seek recovery through travel and the use of a bath. This [Good Friday poem] and the following poem [Easter] are taken from the diary kept during the trip. G. [Günther]
The obvious shortcoming of the following modified machine (DeepL) translation is the loss of rhyming.  But Walther's poetic talent still comes through enough to give us the spiritual benefit of his compositions while he was on "the sea of grace". From Der Lutheraner, volume 44 (March 27, 1888), p. 49:

On Good Friday.

On the first Easter day.

On April 6, 1860, versified on the ocean by 

Dr. C. F. W. Walther.

On April 8, 1860, poem written on the ocean by 

Dr. C. F. W. Walther.

How shall I, O day, call thee, 

Since the mediator once faded away, 

Since he with cries and tears 

Sacrificed Himself on the cross, 

Since he cried: It is finished! 

Sinking into the night of death?


Day of wrath, day of fury!

See, the sword of the judge flashes, 

That — O secure man, hearken to it! —

Atonement blood in streams drinks.

Today happens what God threatened: 

Sin is followed by death.


Even the heart of the begotten 

Strikes the Father's vengeful blood, 

When he willingly took upon himself 

Sinful abominations upon himself. 

Earth and heaven may perish, 

Eternally the right must stand.


Alas! happens on the green branch 

This, where will the lean one go?

Suffers innocence such pranks, 

Sinner, how wilt thou escape? 

O day when God's curse 

Is fulfilled according to His book!


But not for his own sins 

Died the Lord of glory, 

Love that cannot fathom, 

Makes him ready for death. 

To buy us childhood rights, 

The eternal Son becomes a servant.


Therefore, heart, let it resound 

Today loud your song of joy.

For, O consolation of sinners! — For all 

One died today on the cross;

One pays all the debt, 

So is all grace and favour.


O then be welcome to me, 

Blessed Friday, day full of salvation!

Sinners, not the proud pious 

The consolation of thee is given. 

For the flood of my sins too 

Today the blood of reconciliation


Therefore roar all the same, you waves, — 

I swim on the sea of grace;

Roar down from the arch of heaven, 

Thunder, like the host of hell — 

I am gently and softly surrounded 

God's holy wind of grace.


The mast and flag of my ship 

Is the cross of Golgotha,

With it I laugh at every reef, 

Every sandbank that I come near. 

In the sea of grace 

My anchor of hope does not break.


Merrily today I sail on 

To my sweet home, 

He on the cross is my companion

To the land of eternal rest. 

Soon I shall see what I sought, 

Through His blood — Heaven's Bay.

Risen, risen is Jesus Christ, 

Let all that is on earth rejoice, 

Let heaven rejoice with its host, 

O leap, ye mountains, and roar, ye sea.

Lord, have mercy.


The enemy triumphed on Golgotha,

Hell sounded Victory, 

For at last the power of darkness 

Had brought the Prince of Life to the cross.

Lord, have mercy.


But in spite of you, hell, and in spite of you, O world, 

The Duke of Salvation keeps the field.

Hardly three days had passed, 

Then thy prisoner was released and free.

Lord, have mercy.


Where is now thy sting, O form of death?

Where is now thy victory, O infernal power?

Where is now, O sin, your power?

Where now, Law, are your curses and imprisonment? 

Lord, have mercy.


Voluntarily the eternal Son became man, 

Voluntarily He left the heavenly throne, 

Voluntarily He suffered shame and torment, 

Voluntarily He climbed the cross-post.

Lord, have mercy.


With suffering He paid man's debt, 

Atoned for their crimes with death in patience, 

Drank for them the cup of wrath. 

And endured for them the horror of hell.

Lord, have mercy.


But behold! no death and no grave holds him, 

He comes from the battle as a victorious hero, Overthrown for ever is the land of the dead — 

And Satan lies powerless in chain and band.

Lord, have mercy.


The will of the Law is fulfilled, 

And thus the eternal wrath is satisfied; 

So He who vouchsafed for us is loosed 

And rises as head from the bosom of the earth. 

Lord, have mercy.


Therefore arise! be happy, you sinful generation, 

By Christ's revival thou art righteous, 

As your crimes engulfed his grave, 

So now His life has won thee innocence.

Lord, have mercy.


What is it, O sinner, that thou art so timid, 

And complain of the host of thy sins? 

The father has long since declared thee righteous 

And granted thee what thou seekest in Christ.

Lord, have mercy.


The Lord is risen, the grave is empty, 

The army of our sins has fallen asleep

Now all that are called sinners rejoice, 

And praise the Father, Son, and Spirit.

Lord, have mercy.




May we sail on that same "sea of grace" to the shore of "Heaven's Bay".

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