Fairest Lord Jesus

17th-century German (translator - Unknown)

(stanzas 1-2)

Fairest Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son,
Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

(stanzas 3-5)

Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling starry host;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels Heav’n can boast.

All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,
Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;
None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,
Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.

Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forever more be Thine.

​​​​​The original German text appears in Lutheran hymnals in the following translation​

(stanzas 1-2)

Beautiful Savior, king of creation
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I’d love Thee, truly I’d serve Thee,
Light of my soul, my joy, my crown.

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

(stanzas 3-4)

Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight,
Bright the sparkling stars on high;
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer
Than all the angels in the sky.

Notes on the Hymn

"Fairest Lord Jesus" has many unusual associations. First, the Crusades. Second, the Eastern European province of Silesia. Third, a 19th-century American music critic and church musician who wrote the music to the popular Christmas carol, “It Came upon the Midnight Clear. And fourth, a Maryland Lutheran minister of Moravian heritage. Today, the hymn is sung in two translations of the original German text. One is popular among Lutherans. The other most often appears in other Christian hymnals.