rly Danish hymnals,
thus includes five "old hymns" in his collection with the explanation
that he had done so to show "that even during the recent times of error
there were pious Christians who, by the grace of God, preserved the true
Gospel. And though these songs were not sung in the churches--which were
filled with songs in Latin that the people did not understand--they were
sung in the homes and before the doors".

Most of these earlier hymns no doubt were songs to the Virgin Mary or
legendary hymns, two types of songs which were then very common and
popular throughout the church. Of the few real hymns in use, some were
composed with alternating lines of Danish and Latin, indicating that they
may have been sung responsively. Among these hymns we find the oldest
known Danish Christmas hymn, which, in the beautiful recast of Grundtvig,
is still one of the most favored Christmas songs in Danish.

Christmas with gladness sounds,
Joy abounds
When praising God, our Father,
We gather.
We were in bondage lying,
But He hath heard our prayer.
Our inmost need supplying,
He sent the Savior here.
Therefore with praises ringing,
Our hearts for joy are singing:
All Glory, praise and might
Be God's for Christmas night.

Right in a golden year,
Came He here.
Throughout a world confounded
Resounded
The tidings fraught with gladness
For every tribe of man
That He hath borne our sadness
And brought us joy again,
That He in death descended,
Like sun when day is ended,
And rose on Easter morn
With life and joy reborn.

He hath for every grief
Brought relief.
Each grateful heart His praises
Now raises.
With angels at the manger,
We sing the Savior's birth,
Who wrought release from danger
And peace to man on earth,
Who satisfies our yearning,
And grief to joy is turning
Till we with Him arise
And dwell in Paradise.

The earliest Danish texts were translations from the Latin. Of these the
fine translations of the well known hymns, "Stabat Mater Dolorosa", and
"Dies Est Laetitia in Ortu Regali", are still used, the latter especially
in Grundtvig's beautiful recast "Joy is the Guest of Earth Today".

At a somewhat later period, but still well in advance of the Reformation,
the first original Danish hymns must have appeared. Foremost among these,
we may mention