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Words: Charles Wesley (1707-1788).
Music: "Old 113th," attributed to MatthSus Greiter, Strassburger Kirchenamt, 1525
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O Thou who at Thy creature's bar
Thy glorious Godhead didst declare,
A true and good confession make;
Come in Thy Spirit from above
And arm me with Thy faithful love,
For Thy own truth and mercy's sake.
Called forth by Thee Thou know'st I am,
Thy truth and mercy to proclaim,
Thy Godhead, and eternal power,
The man whom God His fellow owns,
Whom angel-powers, dominions, thrones
Through all eternity adore.
Thee, high enthroned above all height,
Thee God of God, and Light of Light,
I come undaunted to confess,
With God essentially the same,
JEHOVAH, JAH, the great I AM,
The Lord of Hosts, the Prince of Peace.
The sovereign, everlasting Lord,
The glorious, unbeginning Word,
The Son of God, the Son of man,
God over heaven and earth supreme
Made flesh Thy creature to redeem,
For me incarnated, and slain.
Slain for a sinful world, and me,
Our Surety hung upon the tree;
Thy body bore our guilty load:
My Lamb for sin an offering made,
The debt of all mankind hath paid,
And bought, and sprinkled us with blood.
That blood applied by faith I feel,
And come its healing power to tell,
Through which I know my sins forgiven
A witness I, that all may find
The peace deserved for all mankind,
And walk with God, my God, to heaven.
I come to testify the grace
My Lord obtained for all our race,
Enough ten thousand worlds to save;
Salvation is in Jesu's name,
Which every soul of man may claim,
And all that seek the grace, shall have.
Salvation from the power of sin,
Salvation from the root within,
Salvation into perfect love,
(Thy grace to all hath brought it near,)
An uttermost salvation here,
Salvation up to heaven above.
Thy power and saving grace to show,
A warfare at Thy charge I go,
Strong in the Lord, and Thy great might,
Gladly take up the hallowed cross,
And suffering all things for Thy cause,
Beneath that bloody banner fight.
A spectacle to fiends and men,
To all their fierce or cool disdain
With calmest pity I submit;
Determined naught to know beside
My Jesus, and Him crucified,
I tread the world beneath my feet.
Superior to their smile, or frown,
On all their goods my soul looks down,
Their pleasures, wealth, and pomp, and state:
The man that dares their god despise,
The Christian, he alone is wise!
The Christian, he alone is great!
O God, let all my life declare
How happy all Thy servants are,
How far above these earthly things,
How pure when washed in Jesu's blood,
How intimately one with God,
An heaven-born race of priests and kings.
For this alone I live below,
The power of godliness to show,
The wonders wrought by Jesu's Name.
O that I may but faithful prove,
Witness to all Thy pardoning love,
And point them to th'atoning Lamb!
Let me to every creature cry,
The poor and rich, the low and high,
"Believe, and feel thy sins forgiven!
Damned, till by Jesus saved, thou art,
Till Jesu's blood hath washed thy heart
Thou canst not find the gate of heaven."
Thou, Jesu, Thou my breast inspire,
And touch my lips with hallowed fire,
And loose a stammering infant's tongue;
Prepare the vessel of Thy grace,
Adorn me with the robes of praise,
And mercy shall be all my song.
Mercy for those that know not God,
Mercy for all, in Jesu's blood,
Mercy that earth and heaven transcends;
Love, that overwhelms the saints in light,
The length, and breadth, and depth, and height
Of love Divine, which never ends.
A faithful witness of Thy grace,
Long may I fill th'allotted space,
And answer all Thy great design;
Walk in the works by Thee prepared,
And find annexed the vast reward,
The crown of righteousness Divine.
When I have lived to Thee alone
Pronounce the welcome word, Well done,
And let me take my place above,
Enter into my Master's joy,
And all eternity employ
In praise, and ecstasy, and love.
Hymns supplied through the gracious generosity of the Cyber Hymnal Website