1 Lord, thee I love with all my heart;
I pray thee, ne'er from me depart,
with tender mercy cheer me.
Earth has no pleasure I would share;
yea, heav'n itself were void and bare
if thou, Lord, wert not near me.
And should my heart for sorrow break,
my trust in thee can nothing shake.
Thou art the portion I have sought;
thy precious blood my soul has bought.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord,
forsake me not! I trust thy word.
2 Yea, Lord, 'twas thy rich bounty gave
my body, soul, and all I have
in this poor life of labor.
Lord, grant that I in ev'ry place
may glorify thy lavish grace
and help and serve my neighbor.
Let no false doctrine me beguile;
let Satan not my soul defile.
Give strength and patience unto me
to bear my cross and follow thee.
Lord Jesus Christ, my God and Lord, my God and Lord,
in death thy comfort still afford.
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
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: Christian Worship: Hymnal #817
Catherine Winkworth (b. Holborn, London, England, 1827; d. Monnetier, Savoy, France, 1878) is well known for her English translations of German hymns; her translations were polished and yet remained close to the original. Educated initially by her mother, she lived with relatives in Dresden, Germany, in 1845, where she acquired her knowledge of German and interest in German hymnody. After residing near Manchester until 1862, she moved to Clifton, near Bristol. A pioneer in promoting women's rights, Winkworth put much of her energy into the encouragement of higher education for women. She translated a large number of German hymn texts from hymnals owned by a friend, Baron Bunsen. Though often altered, these translations continue to be used i… Go to person page >| First Line: | Lord, Thee I love with all my heart |
| Title: | Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart |
| German Title: | Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr |
| Translator: | Catherine Winkworth |
| Author: | Martin Schalling |
| Meter: | 8.8.7.8.8.7.8.8.8.8.4.8.8 |
| Language: | English |
| Copyright: | Public Domain |
| Article: | The Earliest Lutheran Hymn Tradition as Illustrated by Two Classic Sixteenth-Century German Chorales by Vincent A. Lenti (from "The Hymn") |
My Starred Hymns