Like every saint, every hymn has a history - some more complicated than others. The hymn of praise for our service on July 6th stands among a handful of the most recognizable hymns with the most complicated past. Fairest Lord Jesus calls us with its musical simplicity to reorient our focus, to step away from the other idols vying for our affection, our desire to make good things into ultimate things, and recognize Christ as all in all.
We first come across an official version of this hymn in 1677 via the Jesuit hymn book Munster Gesangbuch. That said, it should be noted that the text goes back years prior, though both the origin of the words and their translator remains a mystery. It is said to have been sung by the followers of the reformer John Hus. He and his followers were expelled to Silesia in the early 1400s during an anti-Reformation purge and were known for their strong tradition of congregational hymn singing. There are others who say that it harkens back to a song sung by 12th century German crusaders, but this holds less merit – though it does explain why the tune was later titled ‘Crusaders Hymn’.
In 1842, it was published in Schleisische Volkslieder by Heinrich Hoffman von Fallersleben. In 1850, it was translated by Richard Willis (also the composer of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear) and included in his collection of Church Chorals and Choir Studies. In 1855, it is published in Tunes for the Use of Christian Congregations, by Henry Beecher. And in 1873, a fourth stanza was added by Joseph Seiss and included in his published collection, The Sunday School Book for the Use of Evangelical Lutheran Congregations. The list of future publications continues apace, but as we have finally arrived at the hymn as we see in its current format (ie, the inclusion of the fourth stanza), we will consider the historical journey of this hymn at an end. Sufficed to say, there is deep history in this hymn, and a reason that it has stood the test of time.
It is one thing to call a person or an object ‘fair’ (free of blemish, supremely attractive), yet another, higher claim to count one as ‘fairest’. The first word of this hymn lays the groundwork for the coming wave upon wave of praise.
‘Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,
Son of God and Son of Man,
Thee will I cherish, thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s glory, joy, and crown.’
The supremacy of Christ – His worth as surpassing all others, His reigning over the natural world, His title as both God and man ‘in two distinct natures, and one person forever’ (Westminster Shorter Catechism, question 21). And what is the response to this declaration of title and merit? Worship. Such a God, such a Savior, is worthy of being cherished above all others, being honored above all others, and being the glory of our eternal worth, our very soul.
Verses two and three address the ornate beauty of nature.
‘fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands …
Fair is the sunshine, fair is the moonlight,’
And while it is good to gaze upon and marvel at the beauty of the world that our Lord has created - as the psalmist writes, ‘The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork’ (Psalm 19:1) – we are called to love the beauty of the world only insomuch as it points us to the beauty of the One who created it. The world is beautiful, but Jesus is more. The heavens are beautiful, but Jesus is more.
‘Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer …
Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,
Than all the angels heav’n can boast.’
Verse four gives us a closing doxology, borrowing from the first verse, and ending in lines reminiscent of the end of the Lord’s prayer, ‘for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, amen!’
Considering the historical setting of it being conceived by the Hussites (followers of John Huss), we should note how a song born in great suffering and persecution remains solely fixated on the beauty and wonder of Christ. There remains nothing to distract from the beauty of the Savior, reveling in the dual nature of Christ (‘Son of God and Son of Man’). If we faced true persecution, would this be our cry? Would we face the tidal wave of the judgement of the age and hold fast to an unswerving view of the surpassing beauty of Christ? Would we need nothing more than to rest in the supreme rule and reign of our ‘Lord of the nations’? May this be our prayer, brothers and sisters. May the Lord strengthen His people to this end, and may we echo with the singers of this hymn throughout the centuries,
‘Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations!
Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration,
Now and forevermore be thine!’
