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And when

die, let me with Thee

In glory live forever;
Come quickly to deliver me,
Lord, by Thy death and agony,
Yea, come, Lord Jesus! Amen.

190

LIGHT of the Gentile nations,
Thy people's Joy and Love!
Drawn by Thy Spirit hither,
We gladly come to prove
Thy presence in Thy temple,
And seek with earnest mind,
As Simeon once had waited
His Savior God to find.

7,6 81

2 Yea, Lord, Thy servants meet Thee,
E'en now, in every place

Where Thy true Word hath promised
That they should see Thy face.
Thou yet wilt gladly grant us,
Who gather round Thee here,
In faith's strong arms to bear Thee,
As did that aged seer.

3 Be Thou our Joy, our Brightness,
That shines 'mid pain and loss,
Our Sun in times of terror,

The Glory round our cross;

A Glow in sinking spirits,
A Sunbeam in distress,
Physician, Friend in sickness;
In death, our Happiness.

4 Let us, O Lord, be faithful
Like Simeon to the end,
So that his dying song may
From all our hearts ascend:

"O Lord, now let Thy servant Depart in peace, I pray, Since I have seen my Savior,

Have here beheld His day."

5 My Savior, I behold Thee

Now with the eye of faith;
No foe of Thee can rob me,
Though bitter words he saith.
Within Thy heart abiding,

As thou dost dwell in me,
No pain, no death has terrors
To part my soul from Thee.

6 Lord, here on earth Thou seemest
At times to frown on me,
And through my tears I often
Can scarce distinguish Thee;
But in the heavenly mansions
Shall nothing dim my sight,
And I shall see forever

Thine always glorious light.

191

PASSION OF CHRIST

8, 7, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7, 8, 8, 7

A LAMB goes uncomplaining forth,
The guilt of all men bearing;
"Tis laden with the sin of earth,

None else the burden sharing;

It goes its way, grows weak and faint,
To slaughter led without complaint,
Its spotless life to offer;

Bears shame, and stripes, and wounds,
and death,

Anguish and mockery, and saith,
"Willing all this I suffer."

2 This Lamb is Christ, the soul's great Friend

And everlasting Savior;

Him, Him God chose, sin's reign. to end And bring us to His favor.

"Go forth, my Son!" He said, 'and bail

The children, who are doomed to hell But for Thine intercession.

The punishment is great, and dread The wrath, but Thou Thy blood shalt shed,

And save them from perdition."

3 "Yea, Father, yea, most willingly
I'll bear what Thou commandest;
My will conforms to Thy decree,
I do what Thou demandest."

O wondrous Love! what hast Thou done!

The Father offers up His Son,

The Son content descendeth!

O Love! O Love! how strong art Thou! In shroud and grave Thou lay'st Him low

Whose word the mountains rendeth!

4 Thou lay'st Him, Love, upon the cross,
With nails and spear Him bruising;
Thou slay'st Him as a lamb, His loss,
From soul and body oozing;

From body 'tis the crimson flood
Of precious sacrificial blood,

From soul, the strength of anguish : My gain it is; sweet Lamb to Thee What can I give, whose love to me

For me doth make Thee languish?

5 Lord, all my life I'll cleave to Thee, Thy love fore'er beholding,

Thee ever, as Thou ever me,

With loving arms enfolding.

Yea, Thou shalt be my Beacon-light, To guide me safe through death's dark night,

And cheer my heart in sorrow; Henceforth myself and all that's mine To Thee, my Savior, I consign,

From whom all things I borrow.

6 By morn and eve my theme shall be Thy mercy's wondrous measure;

To sacrifice myself to Thee,

My foremost aim and pleasure. My stream of life shall flow for Thee, Its steadfast current ceaselessly

In praise to Thee outpouring; And all that Thou hast done for me, I'll treasure in my memory,

Thy gracious love adoring.

7 Enlarge, shrine of my heart, and swell, To Thee shall now be given

A treasure that doth far excel

The worth of earth and heaven. Away with the Arabian gold,

With treasures of an earthly mold!
I've found a better jewel.

My priceless treasure, Lord my God,
Is Thy most holy, precious blood,
Which flowed from wounds so cruel.

8 This treasure ever I'll employ,
This ever aid shall yield me;
In sorrow it shall be my joy,
In conflict it shall shield me;
In joy, the music of my feast,

And when all else has lost its zest,
This manna still shall feed me;
In thirst my drink; in want my food;
My company in solitude,

To comfort and to lead me.

9 Death's poison cannot harm me now,
Thy blood new life bestoweth ;
My Shadow from the heat art Thou,
When noonday's sunlight gloweth.
When I'm by inward grief opprest,
On Thee my weary soul shall rest,
As sick men on their pillows.
Thou art my Anchor, when by woe
My bark is driven to and fro

On trouble's restless billows.

10 And when Thy glory I shall see

And taste Thy kingdom's pleasure,
Thy blood my royal robe shall be,
And joy beyond all measure;
It then shall be my glorious crown,
Thus I'll appear before the throne
Of God, and need not hide me;
And shall, by Him to Thee betrothed,
By Thee in bridal garments clothed,
Stand as a bride beside Thee.

192

7,8,

3

JESUS, I will ponder now

On Thy holy passion;

With Thy Spirit me endow

For such meditation.

Grant that I in love and faith
May the image cherish

Of Thy suffering, pain, and death,
That I may not perish.

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