79. THE UNION OF HEARTS
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Author: Georges Michel Mangold (1822-1894)
Composer: Hans Georg Nägeli (1773-1836)
Author: Georges Michel Mangold (1822-1894)
Composer: Hans Georg Nägeli (1773-1836)
1. When pure and upright hearts,
By flames of love ignited,
Are by the bond of faith
More firmly yet united,
The light of hope beams forth
In radiance far and nigh,
Invites us to partake
The blessings from on high.
2. Then shall this vale of tears
On earth become an Eden
When joined in spirit we
In prayer look up to heaven,
Then bear we joyfully
This earthly toil and care;
We put our trust in God
And all complaints forbear.
3. This union of our hearts
Shall stand through grace in Jesus;
We walk the path of life,
While cheer and trust increases.
Where God in truth abides,
Where two join hand and heart,
We find a threefold cord,
Not lightly rent apart.
4. This God-made union then
Shall never more be broken,
Where faith and love have been
The holy cov’nant’s token
Where God the seal does give,
The hope shall e’er remain,
Though parting be our lot,
To meet in heav’n again.
5. And then, what blissful joy
Will bind such hearts together,
When after parting’s grief
They meet again in heaven,
Who through this earthly vale
Did journey hand in hand,
Joined in the bond of grace
By love’s most sacred band!
6. This covenant shall then
Endure and stand forever;
There neither grief nor pain
Shall come to part or sever.
There God shall e’er abide
With us our truest friend,
Our hearts in Him unite
Forever, without end.
By flames of love ignited,
Are by the bond of faith
More firmly yet united,
The light of hope beams forth
In radiance far and nigh,
Invites us to partake
The blessings from on high.
2. Then shall this vale of tears
On earth become an Eden
When joined in spirit we
In prayer look up to heaven,
Then bear we joyfully
This earthly toil and care;
We put our trust in God
And all complaints forbear.
3. This union of our hearts
Shall stand through grace in Jesus;
We walk the path of life,
While cheer and trust increases.
Where God in truth abides,
Where two join hand and heart,
We find a threefold cord,
Not lightly rent apart.
4. This God-made union then
Shall never more be broken,
Where faith and love have been
The holy cov’nant’s token
Where God the seal does give,
The hope shall e’er remain,
Though parting be our lot,
To meet in heav’n again.
5. And then, what blissful joy
Will bind such hearts together,
When after parting’s grief
They meet again in heaven,
Who through this earthly vale
Did journey hand in hand,
Joined in the bond of grace
By love’s most sacred band!
6. This covenant shall then
Endure and stand forever;
There neither grief nor pain
Shall come to part or sever.
There God shall e’er abide
With us our truest friend,
Our hearts in Him unite
Forever, without end.
This hymn has become associated with weddings in Apostolic Churches and is certainly appropriate for a wedding service. However, it is unlikely that Mangold intended to refer to marriage at all when he penned these words, but rather to meditate on the blessings of Christian fellowship. The "threefold cord" in verse three is a reference to Ecclesiastes chapter 4, which (like this hymn) is often used in wedding services but does not actually have marriage as its subject. Additionally, the phrase "where two join hand and heart" is more literally translated "where two are of one mind." The author's theme in this text, the union of pure hearts by the "bond of faith," is well-suited for any gathering of believers.
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