Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!
Through Word and Sacrament,
Thou com’st to me.
Thy grace is ever near,
Thy Spirit ever here,
Drawing to Thee.
2. Ages on ages rolled
Ere earth appeared;
Yet Thine unmeasured love
The way prepared.
E’en then Thou yearn’st for me
That I might nearer be,
Nearer to Thee!
3. Thy Son has come to earth
My sin to bear,
My every wound to heal,
My pain to share.
“God in the flesh” for me,
Brings me now nearer Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
4. Lo! all my debt is paid,
My guilt is gone.
See! He has ris’n for me,
My throne is won.
Thanks, O my God, to Thee!
None now can nearer be,
Nearer to Thee!
5. Welcome, then, to Thy home,
Blest One in Three!
As Thou hast promised, come!
Come, Lord, to me!
Work, Thou, O God, through me;
Live, Thou, O God, in me,
Ever in me!
6. By the baptismal stream,
Which made me Thine,
By the dear flesh and blood,
Thy love made mine,
Purge Thou all sin from me
That I may nearer be,
Nearer to Thee!
7. Surely it matters not
What earth may bring,
Death is of no account,
Grace will I sing.
Nothing remains for me
Save to be nearer Thee,
Nearer to Thee!

H. E. Jacobs, 1887.

325

7s 6 l

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
2. Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfil Thy Law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
3. Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy Cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless, look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly,—
Wash me, Savior, or I die!
4. While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee!

A. M. Toplady, 1776, a.

326

L. M.

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness,
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
2. Bold shall I stand in that great Day,
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully through these absolved I am
From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
3. The holy, meek, unspotted Lamb,
Who from the Father’s bosom came,
Who died for me, e’en me t’ atone,
Now for my Lord and God I own.
4. Lord, I believe Thy precious blood,
Which at the mercy-seat of God
Forever doth for sinners plead,
For me—e’en for my soul—was shed.
5. Lord, I believe were sinners more
Than sands upon the ocean shore,
Thou hast for all a ransom paid,
For all a full atonement made.
6. When from the dust of death I rise
To claim my mansion in the skies,
E’en then this shall be all my plea:
Jesus hath lived and died for me.
7. Jesus, be endless praise to Thee,
Whose boundless mercy hath for me,
For me, and all Thy hands have made,
An everlasting ransom paid.

L. v. Zinzendorf, 1739; J. Wesley, 1740.

327

L. M.

Our God so loved the world that He
Gave His own Son and did decree
That all who would in Him believe
Should everlasting life receive.
2. Christ Jesus is the ground of faith,
Who was made flesh and suffered death;
All that confide in Him alone
Are built on this chief Corner-stone.
3. God would not have the sinner die;
His Son with saving grace is nigh,
His Spirit in the Word doth teach
How man the blessed goal may reach.
4. Be of good cheer, for God’s own Son
Forgives all sins which thou hast done;
Thou’rt justified by Jesus’ blood,
Thy Baptism grants the highest good.
5. If thou be sick, if death draw near,
This truth thy troubled heart can cheer:
Christ Jesus saves my soul from death;
That is the firmest ground of faith.
6. Glory to God the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To Thee, O blessed Trinity,
Be praise now and eternally!

J. Olearius, 1671; A. Crull, tr.

328

S. M.

Grace! ’tis a charming sound,
Harmonious to the ear;
Heav’n with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear.
2. Grace first contrived the way
To save rebellious man;
And all the steps that grace display
Which drew the wondrous plan.
3. Grace first inscribed my name
In God’s eternal book;
’Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,
Who all my sorrows took.
4. Grace led my roving feet
To tread the heavenly road;
And new supplies each hour I meet
While pressing on to God.
5. Grace taught my soul to pray
And made my eyes o’erflow;
’Twas grace that kept me to this day
And will not let me go.
6. Grace all the work shall crown
Through everlasting days;
It lays in heaven the topmost stone
And well deserves the praise.

Philip Doddridge, 1755.

329

6, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8 (H. M.)

Thy works, not mine, O Christ,
Speak gladness to this heart;
They tell me all is done,
They bid my fear depart.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?
2. Thy cross, not mine, O Christ,
Has borne the awful load
Of sins that none in heaven
Or earth could bear but God.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?
3. Thy death, not mine, O Christ,
Has paid the ransom due;
Ten thousand deaths like mine
Would have been all too few.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?
4. Thy righteousness, O Christ,
Alone can cover me;
No righteousness avails
Save that which is of Thee.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

H. Bonar, 1857.

330

C. M.

O Mystery of Love Divine
That thought and thanks o’erpowers!
Lord Jesus, was our portion Thine,
And is Thy portion ours?
2. Emmanuel, didst Thou take our place
To set us in Thine own?
Didst Thou our low estate embrace
To lift us to Thy throne?
3. Didst Thou fulfil each righteous deed,
God’s perfect will express,
That we, th’ unfaithful ones, might plead
Thy perfect faithfulness?
4. On Thy pure soul did dread and gloom
In that drear garden rise?
Are ours the brightness and the bloom
Of Thine own Paradise?
5. For Thee the Father’s hidden face?
For Thee the bitter cry?
For us the Father’s endless grace,
The song of victory?
6. Our load of sin and misery
Didst Thou, the Sinless, bear?
Thy spotless robe of purity
Do we, the sinners, wear?
7. Lord Jesus, is it even so?
Have we been lovèd thus?
What love can we on Thee bestow
Who hast exchanged with us?
8. Thou, who our very place didst take,
Dwell in our very heart.
Thou, who Thy portion ours dost make,
Thyself, Thyself, impart.

T. H. Gill, 1864.