Of My Life the Life

Representative Text

1 Of my life the life, O Jesus!
Of my death the death also;
Who hast giv'n Thyself to ease us
From our load of guilt and woe:
By Thy death our ransom buying,
And preserving us from dying,
Thousand, thousand thanks to Thee,
Blessed Jesus, ever be!

2 O what cruel provocations,
Scourges of the tongue and rod,
Spitting, shame, and accusations,
Hast Thou borne, thou Son of God!
To redeem my soul from evil,
And the bondage of the devil,
Thousand, thousand thanks to Thee,
Blessed Jesus, ever be!

3 Thou didst let Thyself be beaten
To deliver me from pain;
Falsely charged, and sorely smitten,
That Thy loss might be my gain.
Thou hast suffered crucifixion
For my comfort in affliction:
Thousand, thousand thanks to Thee,
Blessed Jesus, ever be!

4 For my proud and haughty spirit
Thy humiliation paid;
For my death Thy death and merit
Have a full atonement made:
Thy reproaches and dishonor
all have tended to my honor:
Thousand, thousand thanks to Thee,
Blessed Jesus, ever be!

5 From the heart, I thank Thee, Jesus,
For the vast, stupendous load,
Which Thou bearest to release us
From the dreadful wrath of God:
For Thy cruel death and passion,
Agony and sore temptation,
For Thy sharp and bitter pain,
Thanks forever, Lord, Amen!

Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #336

Author: Ernst C. Homburg

Ernst C. Homburg (b. Mihla, near Eisenach, Germany, 1605; d. Naumberg, Germany, 1681) wrote most of his hymns for his own devotions. He described this eight-stanza text as a "hymn of thanksgiving to his Redeemer and Savior for his bitter sufferings." In early life, Homburg was a writer of love and drinking songs. After a difficult time of family illness he experienced a religious conversion, and his poetry took a more serious turn. A lawyer by profession, he wrote hymns to express and strengthen his own faith rather than for public use. Some 150 of his hymn texts were published in his Geistliche Lieder. Bert Polman… Go to person page >

Translator: Richard Massie

Massie, Richard, eldest son of the Rev. R. Massie, of Goddington, Cheshire, and Rector of Eccleston, was born at Chester, June 18, 1800, and resides at Pulford Hall, Coddington. Mr. Massie published a translation of Martin Luther’s Spiritual Songs, London, 1854. His Lyra Domestica, 1st series, London, 1860, contains translations of the 1st Series of Spitta's Psalter und Harfe. In 1864 he published vol. ii., containing translations of Spitta's 2nd Series, together with an Appendix of translations of German hymns by various authors. He also contributed many translations of German hymns to Mercer's Church Psalter & Hymn Book; to Reid's British Herald; to the Day of Rest, &c. He died Mar. 11,1887. -- John Julian, Di… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Of my life the life, O Jesus
Title: Of My Life the Life
German Title: Jesu, meines Lebens Leben
Author: Ernst C. Homburg
Translator: Richard Massie
Meter: 8.7.8.7.8.8.7.7
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

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Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary #336

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