Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-book ‎#62

62. Christ, the Life of all the living

1 CHRIST, the Life of all the living,
Christ, the Death of death our foe,
Who Thyself for me once giving
To the darkest depths of woe,
Madest reconciliation,
And didst save me from damnation:
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

2 Thou, ah! Thou, hast taken on Thee
Bonds and stripes, a cruel rod;
Pain and scorn were heaped upon Thee,
0 Thou sinless Son of God!
Thus didst Thou my soul deliver
From the bonds of sin forever.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

3 Thou didst bear the smiting only
That my wounds might all be whole;
Thou didst suffer, sad and lonely,
Rest to give my weary soul;
Yea, the curse of God enduredst,
Blessing unto me securedst.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

4 Heartless scoffers did surround Thee,
Treating Thee with shameful scorn,
E'en with piercing thorns they crowned Thee;
All disgrace Thou, Lord, hast borne,
That as Thine Thou mightest own me,
And with heavenly glory crown me.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

5 Thou didst suffer men to bruise Thee,
That from pain I might be free;
Falsely did Thy foes accuse Thee;
Thence I gain security;
Comfortless once Thou didst languish,
Me to comfort in my anguish.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

6 Thou didst suffer great affliction,
And endue it patiently,
Even death by crucifixion,
That Thou might'st atone for me;
Thou didst choose to be tormented,
That my doom should be prevented.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

7 That Thou wast so meek and stainless,
Doth atone for my proud mood;
And Thy death makes dying painless,
All thy ills have wrought our good.
Yea, thy deep humiliation
Tendeth to my exaltation.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be,
Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.

8 Then, for all that wrought our pardon,
For Thy sorrows deep and sore,
For Thine anguish in the garden,
I will thank Thee evermore;
Thank Thee for Thy groaning and sighing,
For Thy bleeding and Thy dying,
For that last most bitter cry,
And shall praise Thee, Lord, on high.

Text Information

• First Line: Christ, the Life of all the living
• Meter: 8,7,8,7.
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1893
• Topic: Passion
• Notes: Comp.; German: Jesu, meines Lebens Leben - E. C. Homburg, 1659

Tune Information

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