O Little One Sweet! O Little One Mild!
- Renée Coventry
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Written by Valentin Thilo in the seventeenth century, O Little One Sweet! O Little One Mild! was set to music by Samuel Scheidt in 1650, becoming a beloved German Christmas carol. Various renditions of the song would be written over the course of the years and would only be translated to the English in the twentieth century.
The hymn reflects on Jesus’ sacrifice which turned the Father’s anger away from us. Its prayerful lyrics request Christ keep us in His hands, free of sin and increasing in love for Him, acknowledging all that we have belongs to Him alone. The music of this version is hauntingly beautiful, reflecting Christ’s innocence while looking forward to His sacrifice and to our response to His gift.
O Little One Sweet! O Little One Mild!
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
Thy Father’s will Thou has fulfilled;
Thou has come down from heaven’s bright sphere
To be like us poor mortals here.
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
Thy Father’s anger hast Thou stilled;
Our guilt Thou bearest in our place,
To win for us Thy Father’s grace.
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
With joy Thy birth the world has filled;
From heaven Thou comest to men below
To comfort us in all our woe.
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
Be Thou our guard, be Thou our shield;
By this Thy birth we humbly pray:
O keep us free from sin this day.
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
In Thee love’s beauties are all distilled;
O light in us love’s ardent flame,
That we may give Thee back the same.
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
Help us to do as Thou has willed.
Lo! All we have belongs to Thee;
Ah, keep us in our fealty!
O Little One sweet! O Little One mild!
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