O Lord, I love Thee from my heart

Representative Text

1 O Lord, I love Thee from my heart;
I pray Thee, ne'er from me depart,
With tender mercy cheer me;
I scorn the richest earthly lot,
E'en heaven and earth attract me not,
If only Thou be near me.
Yea, though my heart be like to break,
Thou shalt my Trust that naught can shake,
My Portion and my Comfort be.
Who by Thy blood hast purchased me,
Lord Jesus Christ!
My God and Lord! my God and Lord!
Forsake me not who trust Thy Word.

2 Yea, Lord, 'twas Thy free bounty gave
My body, soul, and what I have
In this poor life of labor;
O grant that I may through Thy grace
Use all my powers to show Thy praise,
And serve and help my neighbor.
From all false doctrine keep me, Lord,
From Satan's lies and malice ward,
In every cross uphold thou me,
That I may bear it patiently,
Lord Jesus Christ!
My God and Lord! my God and Lord!
In death Thy comfort still afford.

3 Ah! Lord, let Thy dear angels come
At my last end to bear me home,
That I may die unfearing;
And in its narrow chamber keep
My body safe in painless 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!
Lord Jesus Christ!
My prayer attend, my prayer attend,
And I will praise Thee without end.

Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book #366

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Author: Martin Schaling

Schalling, Martin, son of Martin Schalling, sometime pastor at Strassburg (after 1543, pastor at Weitersweiler, near Saarbrücken), was born at Strassburg, April 21, 1532. He matriculated, in 1550, at the University of Wittenberg, where he became a favourite pupil of Melanchthon, and a great friend of Nicolaus Selnecker. After taking his M.A., he continued, for a short time, at Wittenberg as lecturer; and then became, in 1554, diaconus at Regensburg. The Superintendent at Regensburg, at that time, was Nicolaus Gallus, a strong partisan of Matthias Flach; and as Schalling thought it his duty to preach against Flacianism he had to give up his post in 1558; but soon after was appointed diaconus at Amberg, in Bavaria (Oberpfalz). When, in 1568,… Go to person page >

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