What Happens After Death According to the Hymns in the LSB

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What Happens after Death According to the Hymns in the LSB

What follows is meant to be proactive, meaning that I intend it to be a guide for those who write hymn texts and for those who select hymns for publication in the future, rather than a critique of texts that have been written and published in the past. I have wanted to do a study like this ever since seminary days when I heard professor Arthur Carl Piepkorn say that the laity in our Church get their theology primarily from hymns. That struck me as true then, and I think it is still true today. If it is true, then what follows should be of interest to anyone who writes hymns texts, translates them from other languages, edits earlier translations, selects hymn texts for publication, or reviews them for doctrinal correctness, as well as to everyone who uses them in worship, mediation or prayer. In my own case, before I got to the seminary, I believed that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the word, a belief held by many of our lay people and many pastors. This is not surprising since the Book of Concord, which we believe is a correct and authoritative interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, states:

“We grant that the angels pray for us . . . . We also grant that the saints in heaven (in coelis, im Himmel) pray for the church in general, as they prayed for the church while they were on earth. . . . But neither a command nor a promise nor an example can be shown from Scripture for the invocation of the saints; from this it follows that consciences cannot be sure about such invocation.” (My italics. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession, 21, 9.)

Therefore there is good precedent for saying that at death believers immediately go to heaven and I am not criticizing anyone for saying that. However, the word “heaven” has two meanings. One is simply “where God is.” We use that meaning when we pray “Our Father, who art in heaven,” because we believe he is everywhere. The other meaning of the word “heaven” is what I refer to below as “heaven in the full sense of the word.” By that I mean the heaven that believers will be in after all who have died have been raised from the dead and all who are still alive have been “caught up together with them in the clouds to meet with their Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This implies that there is an intermediate state of some sort between death and resurrection on the last day. Blessed Martin Luther spoke of that state when he asserted, as he did repeatedly, that the dead do not experience time, hours, days, or years, and the time between a person’s death and resurrection would appear to pass as quickly as a moment, a half hour, or a night of sleep. (Philip J. Secker, “Martin Luther’s Views on the State of the Dead,” Concordia Theological Monthly, 38:7, July-August 1967, pp, 427-28, here p. 427.) On one occasion he wrote “We depart, and we return on the Last Day, before we are aware of it. Nor do we know how long we have been away.” (Secker, p. 427. See also LSB hymn 938, which he wrote, which is in Category I, A of Appendix A.) In other places, Luther wrote that “God talks with the dead,” that the dead “hear,” “think” and “see,” that they “experience visions and the discourses of the angels and of 2 God,” that God opens the eyes of the dead, and they” see with spiritual eyes after death.” (Secker, p. 432.) Elsewhere Luther wrote that between their death and resurrection believers “enjoy everlasting peace and safety,” embrace death as “the most joyous peace,” and take delight in Christ’s embrace.” (Secker, p. 432.) Of course, Lutherans are only obligated to believe what Luther wrote or said in the Lutheran confessional documents that are in the Book of Concord. When those documents were written, both the Reformers and those who remained loyal to the pope agreed that there was an intermediate state. So it is not surprising that Luther does not even bring the matter up in his discussion of the third article of the creed in the Large Catechism. On the other hand, Philip Melanchthon is talking about the intermediate state in his arguments against purgatory and masses for the dead in the Apology of the Augsburg Confession. (24, 89-99) It is an argument from silence, but if Melanchthon believed that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the word, he undoubtedly would have used that as an argument against purgatory and masses for the dead, but he did not do that. When John Bugenhagen Pomeranus,who was Luther's pastor and confessor, preached at Luther’s funeral, he referred to what he called an “interim period”:

But we should also rejoice with our dear father Luther that he left and departed from us to the Lord Christ in the highest apostolic and prophetic office in which he faithfully accomplished what he was commanded. For with Christ are the holy patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and many to whom he preached the Gospel, all the holy angels, Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, that is, in the eternal joy of all believers. We will experience what this interim period until the Day of Judgment is like, as Paul says in Philippians 1: “I desire to depart and to be with Christ;” and as Stephen also says in Acts: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;” and Jesus to the thief: “Today you will be with me in paradise." For there is no doubt, just as the spirit of Christ was in the hands of the Father until the resurrection on Easter, since he said: "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit, etc.," so will our spirits be in the hands of Christ until our resurrection. For that is the meaning of the words of Lazarus: "But now he is comforted while you are tormented." What kind of peace or comfort the believers have and what kind of anxiety or torment the unbelievers have in the meantime, until the day of judgment, we cannot say so precisely on the basis of Scripture. Scripture says that they are asleep, as Paul says in Thessalonians, "concerning those who are asleep." However, just as in natural sleep the healthy rest in a sweet sleep and are thereby refreshed and become stronger and healthier, while the sick or the sorrowing and especially those who are in the terror or fear of death sleep with difficulty, with horrible dreams, and restlessly so that sleep is not rest for them but a more frightful, more desolate unrest than being awake, in the same way there is a difference between the sleep of the believers and the godless. But about this we cannot speak further or infer other than what the words of Scripture say. Our dear father Dr. Martin Luther has now attained what he often desired. And if he were to return to us again now, he would reprimand our mourning and faint-heartedness with the word of Christ from John 16: "If you loved me you would rejoice because I go to the Father, and you would not begrudge me this eternal rest and joy." Christ has conquered death for us. Why, then, are we afraid? The death of the body is for us a beginning of life eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord, who has become for us a noble, precious sacrifice. (My italics. “A Christian sermon over the body and at the funeral of the venerable Dr. Martin Luther,” preached by Mr. John Buganhagen Pomeranus. Printed in Wittenberg by Georg Rhau, in the year 1546. The complete text is at: http://beck.library.emory.edu/luther/ luther_site/luther_text.html. I have not seen the German original.) 3 Luther referred to death as sleep so often that a strong case can be made that doing that was his characteristic way of speaking about death. In some places he seems to be saying that believers who have died are literally asleep until the day of resurrection. In other places, however, he is clearly speaking metaphorically or euphemistically. In still other places he qualifies his assertion that the dead are asleep, or denies that the dead are asleep at all. (Secker, pp. 427-35) Francis Pieper (1872-1931) taught at the St. Louis seminary from 1878 to 1931, served as its president from 1887 to 1931, and as president of the Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states from 1899 to 1911. Pieper’s three volume dogmatics, translated into English as Christian Dogmatics, is still considered the standard dogmatics of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. In the chapter entitled “The State of Souls between Death and Resurrection,” Pieper states that the souls of unbelievers are kept in prison, a place of punishment, according to 1 Peter 3:19-20. The souls of believers, Pieper adds, are “in God’s hand” (Acts 7:59, Luke 23:46), “dwell with Christ and in Paradise,” and that this is far better than being here (Phil. 1:23). He adds that “a soul sleep which includes enjoyment of God (says Luther) cannot be called a false doctrine.” (Volume III, pp. 511-12) Many people assume that “paradise” is another name for heaven in the full sense of the word. But the footnote on Luke 23:43 in The Concordia Self-Study Bible states this about the word:

paradise: In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) the word designated a garden (Genesis 2:8-10) or forest (Nehemiah 2:8), but in the New Testament (used only here and in 2 Corinthians 12:4; Revelations 2:7) it refers to the place of bliss and rest between death and resurrection (cf. Luke 16:22; 2 Corinthians 12:21). (My italics on the last phrase.)

Pieper believed that the account of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) was a parable and that, as a result, “accessory details” in it “may not be pressed.” (Volume III, p. 551) The footnote in The Concordia Self-Study Bible on stanza 22 is this:

“Abraham’s side. The Talmud mentions both paradise (see 23:43) and Abraham’s side (traditionally “bosom”) as the home of the righteous. Abrahams’s side refers to the place of blessedness to which the righteous dead go to await future vindication. Its bliss is the quality of blessedness reserved for people like Abraham.”

Since Pieper states that the souls of believers may be sleeping, it is clear that Pieper did not believe that believers go immediately at death to heaven in the full sense of the word. In what follows, instead of using “interim state,” the term used by Bugenhagen, I have used the term “intermediate state” as shorthand for what Pieper calls “the state of souls between death and the resurrection.” (Christian Dogmatics, III, 511-515) In using the term I am not making any judgment as to whether the deceased experience endless time, or timelessness, or some form of existence that we cannot even imagine. 4 In the fall of 2011 I began looking at hymns for a study group that I teach on the Book of Concord. Over the course of the next year I looked at the texts of all of the hymns in the following hymnals: The Lutheran Hymnal (CPH, 1941), The Service Book and Hymnal (Augsburg, 1958), The Lutheran Book of Worship (Augsburg 1982), Lutheran Worship (CPH, 1982), and Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Augsburg Fortress, 2006) and the Lutheran Service Book (CPH, 2006). I have now written up my findings from the LSB in Appendix A. Except in a few cases, I have not looked at the original texts of the hymns, interesting as that would have been, because of the many difficulties that are involved in translating hymns into another language. Also my concern is with what the English hymn texts in the Lutheran Service Book actually say. I wondered if there would be a variation in content over time, so I have listed the birth and death dates of the authors or the century they lived in. I have also listed the names of those who have served as translators and editors so that one could search on those names to see how they had translated or edited other hymn texts. In general I have listed the hymn texts in chronological order based on when the author of the original text lived. Of the 108 LSB hymns I found that refer to what happens after death, 21 either clearly refer to an intermediate state between death and heaven in the full sense of the term, or imply the existence of an intermediate state. Of the 109, 87 do not refer to an intermediate state, but do not rule one out. I have placed those groups of hymns in Categories I and II, respectively, of AppendixA. I believe that all of the hymns that our congregations use and that our Church publishes should fall into one or the other of those two categories of hymns in order to be consistent with the Sacred Scriptures and the Book of Concord. Category III is for hymns that say that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the word, by which I mean what believers will experience after the day of resurrection. I expected to find many hymns that say this, but found only one in all of the hymnals listed above, and think that text is an aberration since its author has also written a text that implies the existence of an intermediate state. For that reason and because the author is still alive, I have not cited or quoted that hymn text in this study.

Philip James Secker The Confession of St. Peter, A.D. 2013 5 APPENDIX A: THE CLASSIFICATION OF LSB HYMN TEXTS BASED ON WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH

Introduction

The Sacred Scriptures do not tell us a great deal about what happens after death and, over time, have been interpreted in many different ways. For various reasons, the Book of Concord also does not tell us as much as we would like. Because of those facts and because of the many constraints involved in writing and translating hymn texts, we must allow for a certain amount of poetic or “hymnic” license. All of those consideration make interpreting hymn texts very difficult and I would be the first to say that I have probably misclassified some of the following hymn texts. What I have tried to do in what follows is to classify LSB hymn texts into three categories depending on what they seem to say about what Francis Pieper called “the state of souls between death and resurrection,” which I refer to as an “intermediate state.” (See my “What Happens After Death According in Hymn Texts in the LSB,” above.) In Category I, I have placed texts that seem to explicitly say or clearly imply that there is such an intermediate state to which at death all believers (with certain exceptions such as Elijah that I will not go into here) immediately go at death. In Category II, I have placed hymn texts that do not explicitly refer to an intermediate state, but do not rule out the existence of one. I have used three subcategories in Category I and two in Category II to indicate some differences in details among the texts in those two categories. Category III is for hymns that say that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the word, by which I mean what believers will experience after the day of resurrection. I expected to find many hymns in this group, but found only one in all of the hymnals that I list in Category III. I consider that hymn text an aberration because its author has also written a hymn that clearly implies that there is an intermediate state. For that reason and because the author is still alive, I have not cited or quoted that hymn anywhere in this study. Some readers may think that certain words can be used by themselves to decide which category a hymn text belongs in. Some, for example, may think that the word “heaven” can only mean heaven in the full sense of the word. But it can also mean simply “where God is,” and is used that way in Apology 21, 9. Some readers may believe that the words “body” and “soul” can only be understood literally and so can be used to decide what category to place a given hymn text into. But hymn writers and translators often use the words as synecdoches for the whole person. See hymn 708 for an example. And Arthur Carl Piepkorn, whose doctorate was in Old Testament Theology, asserted that with only one exception the Old and New Testament use two words that are often translated “soul” (nephes and psyche ) in the sense of persons, rather than in the sense of "souls" as distinguished from bodies. The one exception, he said, is Matthew 10:28, "Fear not those who can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul," because that stanza would 6 make no sense if translated “Fear not those who can kill the person, but cannot kill the person.” He added that we should not base our understanding of the afterlife solely on that Matthew passage, since it is the only one that speaks that way. See also Martin Luther’s explanation of the word “flesh,” which has been used instead of “body” in the some versions of the Apostles’ Creed: “By ‘flesh’ we should understand the whole human nature, body and soul, in the manner of the Scriptures, which call men ‘flesh,’ . . . and in the Creed we say, ‘I believe in the resurrection of the flesh,’ i.e., ‘of all men.’” (The Book of Concord, Large Catechism, II, 60, Tappert edition, 1959, note 4; Kolb-Wengert edition, 2000, 60, note 161.) The caution that is needed in writing and interpreting hymns, however, is probably clearer with the reference to the word “awake” than with other word. This fact is easily illustrated by showing the different ways it can be understood in the following hymn texts:

--The LBW translation of LSB 685, 4 has: “Let us also live with Jesus. He has risen from the dead That to life we may awaken.” The word “life” here could refer to spiritual life in this world, since our Lord says in John 6:47: “He who believes in me has everlasting life.” Or the reference could be a metaphorical reference to the resurrection of our bodies on the last day. But stanza 3 contains the words “Give to us immortal breath.” But immortality is not something that we do not have until the day of resurrection, so the references in both stanzas 3 and 4 must refer to something that happens at the instant of death or immediately following it. That is consistent with the last line of stanza 4, which is also the last line of the hymn: “Jesus, let me faithful be, Life eternal grant to me.” --This what Catherine Winkworth seems to be thinking of in 674, 1: “Elijah’s chariot take me Above the lower skies, To heaven’s bliss awake me, Released from earthly skies.” Note, however, that one cannot rule out an intermediate state between the act of being taken from earthly skies to being awakened to heaven’s bliss. Indeed, in her translation of 708,3, Winkworth uses the word “awake” along with the metaphor or euphemism of sleeping during the intermediate state: “And in its narrow chamber keep My body safe in peaceful sleep Until Thy reappearing. And then from death awaken me.” And that is probably what she means in 741,1: “I am flesh and must return To the dust whence I am taken; But by faith I now discern That from death I shall awaken." --Philip A. Peter’s translation of 508,2 is another example of the word “awake” being used metaphorically with reference to sleep during the intermediate state: “. . . all who rest beneath the ground Shall from their sleep awaken.” --August Crull differs from the above by using the word “awake” with reference to the resurrection of our bodies on day of resurrection in his translation of 671, 1: “Soon the storms of time shall cease; In God’s likeness we awaken, Knowing everlasting peace!” See also stanza 3. “When amid earth’s closing thunders, Saints shall stand before the throne!” Time as we know it and earth have come to an end. Through our resurrection we are awakened in God’s likeness. --Crull’s use of the word “awakened” to refer to our resurrection from the dead is even clearer in his translation of 468, 4: “At length I shall be free. Awakened from the dead, Arising glorious evermore to be With You my living head.” 7 Hymn 685 above illustrates another matter that needs attention. Some Christians believe, as the Greek philosophers did, that our souls are inherently immortal, and have accused those who do not believe that of denying the immortality of the soul. A number of the hymn texts in the LSB, however, make statements that view immortality as a gift of God rather than an inherent property of our souls. The singers in 685, 3, for example, ask our Lord to “Give to us immortal breath.” In stanza 5, the singer asks “Life eternal give to me.” See also Robert Voelker’s translation of 594, 4 which has this: “When I die, I leave all sadness To inherit paradise! Though I lie in dust and ashes Faith’s assurance brightly flashes: Baptism has the strength divine To make life immortal mine.” My point is that meaning of terms can only be determined from the context and sometimes it is impossible to say for sure what the author or translator meant them to mean, and some poetic or hymnic licenses has to be allowed. At the same time, however, statements that are clearly false must be avoided. To avoid awkward constructions in English, at times I have referred to the person singing a hymn as a female and at time as a male. As a convenience I have placed the category and subcategory at the end of each entry. In all I have listed LSB 108 hymns in this study, placing 21 hymns in Category I, divided among two subcategories, and 87 in Category II, also divided among two subcategories. Category III has no hymns in it. All of the categories and subcategories are explained in succession in Appendix D for easy comparison.

CATEGORY I

The 21 hymns in Category I explicitly refer to or clearly imply that there is an intermediate state between death and resurrection. I have subdivided them into three subcategories of 11, 6 and 4 hymns.

CATEGORY I, Subcategory A (11 hymns)

These hymns either explicitly refer to or imply that there is an intermediate state, but make no mention of bodies sleeping during that state.

633 At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing (5th-10th century; tr. Robert Campbell, 1814-1868) “You have opened paradise, And your saints in you shall rise.” I, A

938 In Peace and Joy I Now Depart, (Martin Luther; tr. F. Samuel Janzow, 1913-2001) Stanza 1 "For the Lord has promised me That death is but a slumber." The original of the last phrase is “Der tod ist mein Schlaf worden (literally, Death has become my sleep.” I, A

679 Oh, How Blest Are They (Simon Dach, 1605-1659; tr. H.W. Longfellow, 1807-1892) Stanza 3 “They meanwhile are in their chambers sleeping, Quiet and set free from all their weeping; No cross or sadness There can hinder their untroubled gladness.” Stanza 4 “… 8 By them are chanted, Songs that ne’er to mortal ears were granted.” A very early and explicit reference to the intermediate state. I, A

742 For Me to Live Is Jesus (In a German hymnal published in 1609; tr. C. Winkworth, 1827-1878) Stanza 2 “I leave this world so dim And gladly seek another, Where I shall be with Him.” Stanza 5 “In my last hour, O grant me A slumber soft and still.” Stanza 6 “And so to Thee still cleaving When death shall come to me, I fall asleep believing And wake in heav’n with Thee” (cf. Ps. 139:18) I, A

741 Jesus, Christ my Sure Defense (Johann Franck, 1616-1679; C. Winkworth, 1827-1878) Stanza 4 “I am flesh and must return To the dust whence I am taken; But by faith I now discern That from death I shall awaken." Stanza 5 “…glorified, I shall anew with this flesh then enshrouded; In this body I shall view God, my Lord, with eyes unbounded; In this flesh I then shall see Jesus Christ eternally." Stanza 6 “Christ's members will hear His voice; Dying, they will never perish; For the very grave is stirred; when the trumpet's blast is heard." Stanza 7 “Laugh to scorn the gloomy grave And at death no longer tremble; Christ, the Lord, who came to save Will at last His own assemble, Treading death beneath their feet.” Stanzas 4 and 5 do not explicitly refer to the intermediate state, but 6 and 7 do. Winkworth’s translations of 741, 742 and 708 are also I, A texts. Her translation of 696 is a I, B text. The rest of her translations in this study are either II, A or II, B texts. Her translation of 674 is difficult to classify, I, A

685 Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus (Sigismund von Birken, 1626-81; tr. Lutheran Book of Worship 1978, alt.) This hymn states that “the grave that shuts in shall but prove [to be] the gate to heaven.”So this implies that we do not go immediately at death to heaven in the full sense of the term. The two phrases “Give to us immortal breath,” and “Life eternal grant to me” teach that immortality is a gift given to us by God at death and not an inherent property of our souls, as the Greeks believed. (See also hymn 594, stanza 4, which states that it is baptism that “make[s] life immortal.”) Stanza 3 He will free us from destruction, Give to us immortal breath. Let us mortify all passion That would lead us into sin; And the grave that shuts us in Shall but prove the gate to heaven. Jesus, here with you I die, there to live with you on high. Stanza 4 Let us also live with Jesus. He has risen from the dead That to life we may awaken. Jesus, you are now our head. We are your own living members; Where you live, there we shall be In Your presence constantly, Living there with You forever, Jesus, let me faithful be, Life eternal grant to me. I. A (Compare also Stanza 5 of 596, Paul Gerhardt 1607-76; tr. Jon D. Vieker, b. 1961: “When nothing else revives your soul, Your Baptism stands and makes you whole And then in death completes you.” Cf. Also 594, 4.) 9 872 Come, Thou Bright and Morning Star (Rosenroth,1636-1689; tr. Richard Massie, 1800-1887) Stanza 5 “Grant that at thy next appearing We who in the grave do lie May arise, Thy summons hearing, And rejoice in our new life, Far from strife.” I, A

468 I Am Content! My Jesus Ever Lives (Johann Joachim Möller, 1660-1733; tr. August Crull, 1845-1923) Stanza 4 “I am content! At length I shall be free. Awakened from the dead, Arising glorious evermore to be With You my living head. The chains that hold my body sever; Then shall my soul rejoice forever.” Only after the resurrection of their bodies, do believers go to heaven in the full sense. I, A

594 God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It (Erdmann Neumeister, 1671-1756; tr. Robert E. Voelker, b. 1957) Stanza 4 “When I die, I leave all sadness To inherit paradise! Though I lie in dust and ashes Faith’s assurance brightly flashes: Baptism has the strength divine To make life immortal mine.” Cf. 596, 5 Stanza 5 “Opened eyed my grave is staring: Even there I’ll sleep secure. Though my flesh awaits its rising, Still my soul continues praising: I am baptized!” This is a very important hymn for understanding what happens after death. In stanza 4 the singer says “When I die, I leave all sadness To inherit paradise,” but does not say when the latter will happen, so he could be thinking either of the intermediate state or of heaven in the full sense of the word. “Dust and ashes” in the next sentence could refer to literal dust and ashes in this life, or to the trials of life here, or to death. However it is understood, in that state he is comforted by Faith’s assurance that “Baptism has the strength divine To make life immortal mine.” That is a testimony that our souls are not inherently immortal, as some think, but receive immortality is a gift of God (apparently given to unbelievers too though not through Baptism.) See also the translation by TLH of the hymn text of 685. In stanza 5 the singer imagines his open grave staring at him, and says “Even there I’ll sleep secure.” He finishes the stanza and the hymn by stating that although his flesh will continue to lie in the grave awaiting its rising, his soul will continue praising God by saying “I am baptized!” So this hymn text clearly teaches the existence of an intermediate state. I, A

966 Before You, Lord, We Bow (Francis Scott Key, 1779-1843. Stanza 5 “And when in pow’r He comes, Oh, may our native land From all its rending tombs Send forth a band With joy to sing To heav’s high King Salvation’s song!” I, A

671 Sing with All the Saints in Glory (William J. Irons, 1812-83) This hymn text clearly implies that there is an intermediate state since it states that believers who have died will “awaken” only after “the storms of time shall cease,” and after “earth’s closing thunders” have ended. Stanza 1 “Sing with All the Saints in Glory . . . . Soon the storms of time shall cease; In God’s likeness we awaken, Knowing everlasting peace!” Stanza 3 “When amid earth’s closing thunders, Saints shall stand before the throne!” I, A 10 342 What Hope! An Eden Prophesied (Stephen P. Starke, b. 1955) Stanza 1 “What hope! An Eden prophesied Where tame live with the wild; The Lamb and lion side by side, led by a little child!” Stanza 4 “Come, Jesus, come, Messiah Lord, Lost Paradise restore; Lead past the angel's flaming sword--Come, open heaven's door.” In stanza 1 “an Eden prophesied” is used as a synonym for a restored “Paradise.” Jesus used the term “paradise” of the intermediate state (see under John 6:47 in “What Happens After Death According to Hymns in the LSB.”) So both terms, as used here, must be metaphors for heaven in the full sense of the word. Since Jesus is asked to restore the “Lost Paradise,” and open “heaven’s door,” there must not be anyone in “Paradise” or “heaven” in the full sense now (other than exceptions such as Elijah). So this hymn text implies that there is an intermediate state that believers who have died go until “Lost Paradise” is restored and door of heaven in the full sense of the word has been opened. I don’t think that understanding is inconsistent with the following, which Starke, whom I know, sent me stanza 4: “The thought in my mind when writing this stanza was that of longing for the second Adam, who by His life, death and resurrection would remove the barrier of sin that stood between us and God so that the way to heaven is indeed open through Him who is the Way. All the Old Testament saints had faith that saved as they looked for the Messiah Lord who was coming and, in Advent, we with them, anticipate His coming and what His first coming meant for us and our salvation.” I, A

I have only looked at the original of 938, but I think it is worth noting that the original text one of these hymns is from the 5th-10th centuries, one is by Martin Luther, seven are from the 17th century, one each is from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Eight of of the authors or translators are from the 19th century.

CATEGORY I, Subcategory B (6 hymns)

The hymns in this subcategory are among a very small number of texts that state that the bodies of the deceased are asleep. Where the terms “body” or “bodies” do occur in the texts that follow, I think they tend to be synecdoches for “person” or “persons.” See in the article, above. And see hymn 708, which I discuss both below and in Appendix B. I, B

881 Christ, Mighty Savior (7th century; tr. Alan McDougall; rev. Anne K. LaCroy) Stanza 5 “Though bodies slumber, hearts shall keep their vigil; Forever resting in the peace of Jesus; In light or darkness worshipping our Savior Now and forevermore.” I, B

759 This Body in the Grave We Lay (Michael Weisse, c. 1480-1534, tr. William M. Czamanske, 1873-1964) This hymn refers to the body sleeping (a euphemism) in the grave until on “that solemn day” God bids it rise “from the dust” and Christ raises the blessed dead. Meanwhile the souls of believers “live with God,” which is in keeping with our being “with Christ” after death. 11 Stanza 1 “This body in the grave we lay There to await that solemn day When God Himself shall bid it rise To mount triumphant to the skies.” Stanza 2 “… from the dust [it] shall rise that day, In glorious triumph o’er decay.” Stanza 3 “The soul forever lives with God.” Stanza 5 “We have no cause to mourn or weep; Securely shall this body sleep Till Christ Himself shall death destroy and Raise the blessed dead to joy.” I, B

708 Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart (Martin Schalling, 1532-1608, tr. C. Winkworth, 19th century, alt.) Stanza 3 “Lord, let at last thine angels come, To Abraham’s bosom bear me home. That I may die unfearing; And in its narrow chamber keep My body safe in peaceful sleep Until Thy reappearing. And then from death awaken me, That these mine eyes with joy may see, O Son of God, thy glorious face, My Savior and my fount of grace.” The original German text and its translation are useful in understanding how Schalling and Winkworth used their respective words for “soul” and “body” and “awake,” and how Winkworth used the word “home.” the author and the translator used the The German original has: “Ach Herr, lasz dein lieb Engelein / an meinem End die Seele mein / in Abrahams Schosz tragen. / Der Leib in seim Schlafskämmerlein / gar sanft ohn einige Qual und Pein / Ruh bis zum Jüngsten Tage. / Alsdann vom Tod erwecke mich, / dasz meine Augen sehen dich / in aller Freud, o Gottes Sohn, / mein Heiland und mein Gnadenthron. / Herr Jesus Christ, erhöre mich, erhöre mich. / Ich will dich preisen ewiglich.” If, in order to avoid awkward expressions in English, we assume that the one singing the text is a woman, then in the German the singer asks the Lord to bear her soul (Seele) to Abraham’s bosom. In the translation the singer asks the Lord to bear her (“me”) home to Abraham’s bosom. So Winkworth has understood the German word for “soul” as a synecdoche for the whole person and has added the word home. In both the German and the translation, the singer asks that her body may rest (German) or sleep (translation) in its sleeping chamber until the last day (German) or until the Lord’s reappearing (translation). Then in both the German and in the translation the singer asks the Lord to awaken her (“mich,” “me”) from death so that she may see Him with her own eyes. So in those lines, both the German and the translation understand “body” as a synecdoche for the whole person. I, B

696 O God, My Faithful God (Johann Heermann, 1585-1647; tr. C. Winkworth, 19th century) Stanza 6 “And let my body … sleep in peace.” Stanza 7 “And on that final day When all the dead are waking, Stretch out Your mighty hand, My deathly slumber breaking.” I, B

482 This Joyful Eastertide. (George R. Woodward, 19th century) Stanza 3 "My flesh in hope shall rest And for a season slumber Till trump from east to west Shall wake the dead in number." 12 "My flesh" is a synecdoche for “my body,” so I have listed this text among those that refer to bodies sleeping even though it does not contain the word “body.” “My body” is, in turn, a synecdoche for “me.” That fact is confirmed by the reference to "the dead," which speaks of the dead as persons, rather than as bodies. I, B

595 O Blessed Spring (Susan Palo Cherwien, b. 1953) Stanza 4 “As winter comes, as winters must, We breathe our last, return to dust; Still held in Christ, our souls take wing And trust the promise of the spring.” I, B

CATEGORY I, Subcategory C (4 hymns)

These texts hymns state that “I,” or “we,” or “all,” are resting in the ground, or turning to dust, or sleeping in the grave, or rising from the dust.

508 The Day Is Surely Drawing Near (Bartholomäus Ringwaldt 16th century; tr. Philip A. Peter) Stanza 2 “The final trumpet then shall sound And all the earth be shaken, And all who rest beneath the ground Shall from their sleep awaken.” I, C

563 Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness (Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, 18th century; tr. John B. Wesley) Stanza 5 “When I from the dust arise To claim my mansion in the skies.” I, C

595 O Blessed Spring (Susan Palo Cherwien, 19th century) Stanza 4: “As winter comes, as winters must, We breathe our last, return to dust; Still held in Christ, our souls take wing And trust the promise of the spring.” I, C

877 God, Who Made the Earth and Heaven (Stanza 3, Richard Whitely, 1787-1863) Stanza 3 Guard us waking, guard us sleeping, And when we die, May we still in Your mighty keeping All peaceful lie. When the last dread call shall wake us, Then, O Lord, do not forsake us, But to reign in glory take us, With You on high.” I, C

CATEGORY II

The 87 hymns in Category II do not refer to an intermediate state, but do not rule one out. The first subcategory has 35 hymns in it. The second has 52.

CATEGORY II, Subcategory A (35 hymns)

These texts can be understood as referring to either an intermediate state, or to heaven in the full sense of the term but without ruling an intermediate state out. 13

675 Oh, What Their Joy (Peter Abelard 1079-1142; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818-1866) This hymn speaks of what “the blessed ones see” (stanza 1), but also uses the future tense in stanza 1 (“God shall be all in all”) and stanza 2 (“joy shall be found”). So it seems best to understand the presence tenses as prospective. II, A

609 Jesus Sinners Doth Receive (Erdmann Neumeister, 1671-1756; tr. TLH) Stanza 7 “And when I this earth must leave I shall find an open heaven.” Since “heaven” can mean simply “where God is,” this text may be referring to the intermediate state. Even if heaven is understood as heaven in the full sense of the word, the translation does not rule out the existence of an intermediate state. Voelker’s translation of 594 is a I, A text. TLH’s translation of 609 is a II, A text. II, A

587 I Know My Faith Is Founded (Erdmann Neumeister, 1671-1756; tr. TLH) Stanza 3 “And then at my departure, Lord, take me home to You, Your riches to inherit As all you said holds true. In life and death, dear Lord, keep me Until Your heav’n I gain, Where I shall by Your great mercy The end of faith attain.” The first sentence seems to say that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the word because of the words “home” and “riches.” However, they can also apply to the intermediate state where a believer is with God as one of His children and one of His heirs. If the former interpretation is the correct one, then the reference to “death” in the second sentence must be to the instance of death. It seems more natural, however, to understand the words “keep me” in death “until Your heav’n I gain” to refer to the intermediate state. Voelker’s translation of 594 is a I, A hymn text. And the TLH’s translation of 609 is a II, A text. II, A

686 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Robert Robinson, 1735-90, alt.) Stanza 4 “Send thine angels soon to carry, Me to realms of endless day.” This is consistent either with being in an intermediate state “with Christ,” or being in heaven in the full sense of the term. II, A

728 How Firm a Foundation (A Selection of Hymns,1787) Stanza 5 “…will still be on My bosom be borne.” This reference is figurative (cf. the first line of stanza 3). But the phrase “Throughout all their lifetime” followed by “and then” implies that these people will have died and will now be “borne” on Jesus bosom, which is most likely a reference to the intermediate state. II, A

672 Jerusalem the Golden (Bernard of Cluny, 12th century; tr. John Mason Neale, 19th century translation) After referring to “Jerusalem the golden, … The place of peace and rest” (Stanza 1), this hymn states that “Within these walls of Zion, Sounds forth the joyful song, As saints join with the angels And all the martyr throng” (Stanza 2). Thus this hymn can be understood as teaching that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the term. 14 But the hymn nowhere says that explicitly, and so can also be understood as describing heaven in the full sense prospectively. II, A 673 Jerusalem, My Happy Home (F.B.P., 16th century; no translator) Stanzas 1-4 are about “Jerusalem,” meaning heaven in the full sense of the term since “there evermore the angels dwell” (Stanza 4). The “Apostles, martyrs, prophets there around my Savior stand” (Stanza 5). But the hymn nowhere says that believers go there immediately at death. Consequently, the hymn may be speaking prospectively of heaven in the full sense, and may not mean to rule out an intermediate state. II, A

683 Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me (Paul Gerhardt, 1607-76; tr. John B. Wesley, 1889-91. alt.) “O Jesus, in that final hour, Be Thou my rod and staff and guide, And draw me safely to Thy side!” This hymn can be understood to mean that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense, or merely to be “with Christ” in the intermediate state. II, A

676 Behold a Host Arrayed in White (Hans Adolf Brorson, 1694-1764; tr. TLH) See also 716. This hymn has undoubted strongly contributed to the idea that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the term. But it nowhere says that explicitly, and so can be understood as a prospective view of heaven in the full sense of the term. II, A

740 I Am Jesus’ Little Lamb (Henrietta R. von Hayn, 18th century; tr. TLH) Stanza 3 “. . . when my short life is ended, By His angel host attended, he shall fold me to His breast, There within His arms to rest.” II, A

745 In God, My Faithful God (before 1603; C. Winkworth) Stanza 3 “If death my portion be, It brings great gain to me; It speeds my life’s endeavor To live with Christ forever.” II, A

860 “Gracious Savior, Grant Your Blessing” (Stephen P. Starke, b. 1955) Stanza 5 “Bring us Lord, at last to heaven, To endless wedding feast.” This is a reference to heaven in the full sense, but it does not rule out the possibility of an intermediate state. II, A

754 Entrust Your Days and Burdens (Paul Gerhard, 1607-76) Stanza 5 of this hymn text was translated by F. Samuel Janzow (1913-2001). Stanza 6 is a Lutheran Service Book translation. But the text must be understood as a unit so I have treated it that way here. 15 Stanza 5 “O blessed heir of heaven, You’ll hear the song resound When you with life are crowned. In your right hand your maker Will place the victor’s palm. And you will thank Him gladly With heaven’s joyful psalm.” Stanza 6 ends with: “And so throughout our lifetime Keep us within Your care And at our end then bring us To heav’n to praise You there.” “When you with life are crowned” in stanza 5 seems to be a reference to the resurrection of the dead, but see my comments on 685 in the Introduction. Since “heaven” can mean simply “where God is,” this hymn text can be understood as referring to either an intermediate state or to heaven in the full sense of the term. II, A

753 All for Christ I Have Forsaken (Calvin Ghao, 1906-96. Stephen P. Starke, b. 1955, edited an English translation of Ghao’s Mandarin text) Stanza 4 “When God takes me home to heaven Should this be the day I die, God will keep my spouse and children, As the apple of His eye.” If “home to heaven” is a reference to heaven in the full sense of the word, and most users are likely to understand it that way, then this text says that at death believers go immediately to heaven in that sense. However, “heaven” can mean simply “where God is,” and “home” is applied to the intermediate state in 708, 3, so it is possible to interpret the text as referring to either the intermediate state or heaven in the full sense of the word. II, A

Here are other hymns that fit in Category II. A: 64, 4 O Living Bread from Heaven (Johann Rist, 17th century; tr. C. Winkworth) 644, 5 The Church’s One Foundation (Samuel J. Stone, 19th century) 647, 4 Lord Jesus Christ, the Church’s Head (Johann Mentor, 1658-1734; tr. William J. Schaefer) 655, 3 Lord Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word (Martin Luther, 16th century; tr. C. Winkworth) “Lead us out of death to life.” 703, 5 How Can I Thank You Lord (David Denicke, 1603-1680; tr. August Crull) 757 Lord It Belongs Not to My Care (Richard Baxter, 1615-91) 758 The Will of God Is Always Best (Albrecht von Pruessen, (16th century; tr. TLH) 761 Rock of Ages (Augustus M. Toplady, 18th century) 774 Feed Thy Children, God Most Holy (Johann eHermann, 17th century; tr. TLH) 829, 5 Christ the Eternal Lord (Timothy Dudley Smith, 20th century) 841, 5 O Son of God, in Galilee (Anna B. D. Hoppe, 20th century) 852, 6 O God of Mercy, God of Might (Godfrey Thring, 19th century) 859, 6 Lord, When You Came as Welcome Guest (F. Samuel Janzow, 1913-2001) 875, 2 Father, We Praise Thee (attr. Gregory I, 6th century); tr. Percy Dearmer) 918, 3 Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer (William Williams, 18th century; tr. Peter and William Williams) 924, 3 Lord, Dismiss Us With Your Blessing (attr. John Fawcett, 1740-1817; Gregory Thring, 19th century) 798, 6-7 The God of Abraham Praise (T. Olivers, 1725-99) 16 CATEGORY II, Subcategory B (52 hymns)

These hymns seem to refer explicitly only to heaven in the full sense of the word, but do not rule an intermediate state out.

610 Lord Jesus, Think on Me (Synesius of Cyrene, c. 365-414, tr. Allen W. Chatfield, 19th century) Stanza 5 “Lord Jesus think on me That, when this life is past, I may th’ eternal brightness see and share Your joy at last.” II, B

503 O Day Full of Grace (c. 1450, Scandinavian, tr. Gerald Thorson, 1921-2001) Stanza 5: “When we on that final journey go.” II, B

674 Jerusalem, O City Fair and High (Johann Matthäus Mayfart, 1590-1642, tr. C. Winkworth). Stanza 1. “Elijah’s chariot take me Above the lower skies, To heaven’s bliss awake me, Released from earthly skies.” Stanza 2. “O happy day O yet far happier hour, When will you come at last, When by my gracious Father’s love and pow’r I see that portal vast? From heaven’s shining regions To greet me gladly come Your blessed angel legions, To bid me welcome home.” The title and the phrases “heaven’s bliss,” “portal vast” “angel legions from “heaven’s shining regions” and “welcome home” all seem to be references to heaven in the full sense of the word. “Awake me” can refer to being awakened from an earthly life or from death. Death can mean the instance of death, or the state of death. Consequently, the translation does not rule out the existence of an intermediate state from which God will “at last” awaken the singer and send angel legions to bid the singer welcome home. II, B

636 Soul Adorn Thyself with Gladness (Johann Franck, 1618-77; tr. C. Winkworth) Stanza 8 “Through the gift of grace You give me As your guest in heav’n receive me.” II, B

716 I Walk in Danger All the Way (Hans Adolf Brorson, 1694-1764; tr. Ditlef G. Ristad, 1863-1938) See also 676. II, B

677 For All the Saints (William W. How, 19th century) Stanza 6 “The golden evening brightens in the west, Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest; Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.” The word “paradise” in Lk 23:43 does not refer to heaven in the full sense according to the Concordia Self-Study Bible, but here the term seems to be a reference to that. See in the Introduction, above. II, B

670 Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones (J. Athelstan L. Riley, 1858-1945) This hymn addresses angels (stanza 1), the Blessed Virgin Mary (stanza 2), and all saints triumphant (stanza 3), but in the Confessional Lutheran understanding, these addresses are rhetorical since we do not know whether the departed saints can even hear us (Apology 21, 10), so 17 this hymn cannot be used to argue that at death believers go directly to heaven in the full sense of the term. II, B

680 Thine the Amen, Thine the Praise (Herb Brokering, 20th century) Stanza 3 “… Thine the glory yet to be, Then the ringing and the singing Then the end of all the war.” II, B

678 We Sing for All the Unsung Saints (Carl P. Daw, Jr. b. 1944) This hymn says that the “stories” of unsung saints “form a hallowed frame Around the myst’ry in their midst: The Lamb one sacrificed.” Assuming that these saints are also present “with Christ,” this is not inconsistent with an intermediate state. II, B

700:4 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (Charles Wesley, 18th century) “changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place” II, B

These hymn also fit in Category II, B. The first name are authors. The ones following a “/ “ are translators. 445 Vajda, 509 Idle, 510 Landstad/Strömme, 512 Waters, 513 Noel, 514 Bernard of Cluny/ LBW, 515 Walter/Janzow; Loy, 516 Nicolai/Winkworth, 520, 4 Joseph the Hymnographer/ Neale, 530, 4 Dudley-Smith, 531, 4 See the LSB, 540:5 S. Mueller, 549, 7 Perronet/See LSB, 575,4 de Chenez, 623,5 H. Jacobs, 654, 3 Rogner, 688, 5 Scheffer/See LSB, 691, 4 Dudley-Smith, 693, 3 Ringwaldt/Sneby, 695, 4 Dudley-Smith, 698, 2 Osler, 701 Fencke/ Crull, 702 Palmer, 704 Rump/Crull, 711 Hymns for the Young, 712 Lafferty, 713 Helmsbold/See LSB, 714 Magdeburg; Harmonia continuum/Kennedy, 718 von Zinzendorf/ Borthwick, 720 Alford, 722 von Hausman/LBW, 723 Taule/Floridness; Vieker, 724 P. Gerhardt/See LSB, 730 Pfefferkorn/Crull, 735 Zimmermann; Jillson, 737 P. Gerhardt/Kelly, 739 Dorsey, 744 Newton, 745 See LSB/Winkworth, 748 Taylor, 763 Spafford, 799; 801, 4 Boberg/Hine, 811, 5 Mentor/TLH.

[This hymn by Landstad is in TLH 592 but apparently is not in the LSB. Even its title suggests that Landstad believed in an intermediate state. The Strömme translation of 510, another Landstad text, is in the list of II, B hymns immediately above. TLH 592 I Know of a Sleep in Jesus’ Name (Magnus Brostrup Landstad, 1802-80; tr. composite) Stanza 1 “A rest from all my toil and sorrow; Earth folds in its arms my weary frame And shelters it till the morrow; With God I am safe until that Day, When sorrow is gone forever. Stanza 2 “…often I yearn to lay me down And sink into peaceful slumber. Stanza 3 “I know of a morning bright and fair When tidings of joy shall wake us; When sons from on high shall fill the air and God to his glory take us, When Jesus shall bid us rise from sleep; How joyous that hour of waking.”]

18 CATEGORY III

Category III is for hymn texts that seem to explicitly say that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the term. I expected to find many hymn texts in this category. However I found only one in all of the hymnals I looked at, which include The Lutheran Hymnal (CPH, 1941), The Service Book and Hymnal (Augsburg, 1958), The Lutheran Book of Worship (Augsburg 1982), Lutheran Worship (CPH, 1982), and Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Augsburg Fortress, 2006) and the Lutheran Service Book (CPH, 2006). I think that hymn text is an aberration because its author has written another hymn text that clearly implies the existence of an intermediate state. Because of that fact and because the author is still alive, I have not cited or quoted that hymn text in this study. Some hymn texts, however, are likely to be misunderstood by some users as saying that believers go immediately at death to heaven in the full sense of the word even though in fact they do not say that. Two examples in the LSB are 676 and 753.

Summary of Appendix

Of the 108 LSB hymns I found that refer to what happens after death, 21 either clearly refer to an intermediate state between death and heaven in the full sense of the term, or imply the existence of an intermediate state. Of the 108, 87 do not refer to an intermediate state, but do not rule one out. In all of the six different hymnals I looked at I found only one that says that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the word, by which I mean what believers will experience after the day of resurrection. I think that text is an aberration since its author has also written a text that implies the existence of an intermediate state. For that reason and because the author is still alive, I have not cited or quoted that hymn text in this study.

APPENDIX B: Time

I know from discussing an early draft of this document with others that some will say that reference to an intermediate state is meaningless because time will not exist after death. Instead, they say, believers will be in a “timeless” state. I don’t think we can be sure of that either, because believers could experience endless time or a state that we cannot even imagine. Out of curiosity I looked to see if any hymn texts expressed an opinion on this. The only one I found that did is this one:

828 We Are Called to Stand Together. Leckebusch, b. 1962. Stanza 5 “Till the time when time is ended….” 19 APPENDIX C: Angel or Eagle Wings

I have a somewhat vague recollection of singing, as a child, a hymn or hymns that said that at death believers will be born to heaven on the wings (or pinions?) of an angel. So I looked for hymns that said that or something like that. This is what I found:

1. These are the only hymns I found that say angels will carry believers to the next life:

708 Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart (Martin Schalling, 1532-1608, tr. C. Winkworth, 19th century, alt.) Stanza 3 “Lord, let at last thine angels come, To Abr’ham’s bosom bear me home. That I may die unfearing; And in its narrow chamber keep My body safe in peaceful sleep Until Thy reappearing. And then from death awaken me.” Abraham’s bosom is clearly a reference to the intermediate state. The “body” is said to be sleeping, but it is “I” that is awakened, so “body” is a synecdoche for “I”. This hymn is listed above, too.

686 Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing (Robert Robinson, 1735-90, alt.) Stanza 4 “Send thine angels soon to carry, Me to realms of endless day.” II, A

In the following hymn text “blessed angel legions” come to bid the singer welcome home but are not said to bear the singer to heaven: 674, Jerusalem, O City Fair and High (Johann Matthäaus Meyfart, 1590-1642; C. Winkworth) Stanza 2 “From heaven’s shining regions To greet me gladly come Your blessed angel legions To bid me welcome home.”

2. In this hymn it is God who leads believers to heaven: 687 Thine Forever, God of Love (Mary F. Maude, 1819-1913) Stanzas 3 “Guide us to the realms of day,”and 5 “Lead us, Lord, from earth to heaven.”

3. These hymn texts refer metaphorically to eagle wings.

798 “The God of Abraham Praise (Thomas Olivers, 1725-99, alt.) Stanza 4 “I shall, on eagle wings upborne, To heaven ascend.”

The refrain in the following hymn text refers to being raised up on eagles’ wings, but it is hard to tell whether the reference is intended only as a metaphor for God’s support of believers in this life, or also as a metaphorical reference to being raised up immediately after death to heaven in the sense of “where God is,” or to being raised up to everlasting life on judgment day, or in all three ways. 727 On Eagles’ Wings (Michael Joncus, b. 1951); based on Psalm 91:1-12 Stanza 5 “For to His angels He’s given a command To guard you in all of your ways.” Refrain: “And He will raise you up on eagle’s wings, Bear you on the breath of dawn, Make you to shine like the sun, And hold you in the palm of His hand.“

This hymns refers to eagle wings and wings as metaphors of God’s uplifting and sustaining and shielding support and mercy. 790 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty has this, which applies to life, not death: Stanza 2 "Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things is wondrously reigning And, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining." Stanza 3 “Wings of His mercy did shade thee.” 20 Here are some Bible passages that refer to eagles’ wings: Isaiah 40:31: ... but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength, They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Some of these hymns are based on Psalm 91:1-12 and 103:5. Exodus refers to God rescuing the Israelites on “eagles’ wings” from the Egyptians.

APPENDIX D: The Categories

I have placed the 108 LSB hymns that I found into these categories and subcategories:

I. All of the 21 LSB hymns in Category I explicitly refer to or clearly imply that there is an intermediate state between death and resurrection. A. These 11 LSB hymn explicitly refer to or clearly imply that there is an intermediate state between death and resurrection, but make no mention of bodies sleeping during that intermediate state. B. These 6 LSB hymns also either explicitly refer to or imply that there is an intermediate state, but are listed separately because they are among a very small number of hymns that state that the bodies of the deceased are asleep. In these hymns, the word “bodies” is probably a synecdoche for persons who are metaphorically being thought of as sleeping. C. These 4 hymns also explicitly refer to or clearly imply that there is an intermediate state, but differ from those in subcategories A and B in that they state that “I,” or “we,” or “all” are turning to dust, or resting in the ground, or sleeping in the grave, or rising from the dust. Where the word “dust” is used, the various pronouns probably are synecdoches for “my body” or “our bodies” or “all bodies,” since only bodies turn to dust or will rise from the dust. Where the words “resting” or “sleeping” are used, the pronouns are probably synecdoches for “person” or “persons” who are being said metaphorically to be resting in the ground or sleeping in the dust.

II. The texts of these 52 LSB hymns do not explicitly refer to an intermediate state, but do not rule one out. A. These 10 hymns can be understood as referring either to an intermediate state or to heaven in the full sense of the term. B. These 42 hymns refer explicitly only to heaven in the full sense of the word, but do not rule an intermediate state out.

III. This category is for hymns that seem to say that at death believers go immediately to heaven in the full sense of the term. For this category I looked in all of the hymnals I have listed in the category. I found only one, but consider it an aberration for reasons I state in the Category.