St Joseph, Guardian of our Lord

Today commemorates the earthly father of Jesus. Joseph was in many ways a step-father to Jesus. As we confess in the creeds, Jesus was "conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary."

Very little is spoken of Joseph in the Bible, which leads to all sorts of folk lore and folk hymnody, like this one, a lullaby in which Mary addresses Joseph in the first verse and Joseph responds in the second verse.

Like many folk carols, this one isn't typically found in denominational hymnals, since the words of Mary and Joseph are not found in Scripture. You will find the tune, though, with a translation of the Latin Carol Resonet in Laudibus.

Please note that as this is a folk hymn Russian folk images are used in the video of a German carol.

Here is the poetic translation of the German.

“Joseph dearest, Joseph mine,
Help me cradle the Child divine;
God reward thee and all that’s thine
In paradise,” so prays the mother Mary.

He came among us at Christmastide,
At Christmastide, in Bethlehem;
Men shall bring Him from far and wide
Love’s diadem:
Jesus, Jesus,
Lo, He comes, and loves,
and saves, and frees us!



“Gladly, dear one, lady mine,
Help I cradle this child of thine;
God’s own light on us both shall shine
In paradise, as prays the mother Mary.”

He came among us at Christmastide,
At Christmastide, in Bethlehem;
Men shall bring Him from far and wide
Love’s diadem:
Jesus, Jesus,
Lo, He comes, and loves,
and saves, and frees us!