Christ My Song - 781
Lord, dearest Lord! to thee I call - Love that never faileth
(Sir Edward Denny/Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
Love that never faileth.
"Set me a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm." (Canticle of Canticles 8,6)
1. Lord, dearest Lord! to thee I call,
thy sympathy I freely claim;
thou know'st my fears, my griefs, and all,
for thou thy self hast felt the same. PDF - Midi
2. As man, a man of sorrows, thou
hast suffered every human woe,
and thus, enthroned in glory now,
canst pity all thy saints below.
3. Earth – Heaven – O Christ! in thee combine,
thee Virgin-born – Jehovah's Son:
and thus I dare to call thee mine,
my brother and my God in one.
4. Sweet thought, my Saviour! but for this
I could not tell my grief to thee:
nor hope that thou, 'mid all thy bliss –
thy glory, Lord! couldst feel for me.
5. But oh! my name is like a seal,
a jewel on thy tender heart:
that heart that feels for all I feel,
in every sorrow bears a part.
6. Come, then, with some reviving word
of tender love, my soul relieve:
and on thy bosom, gracious Lord,
oh, let me freely, sweetly grieve!
7. There, blessed Saviour! let me think
of all thy rich, redeeming love:
and long with all my soul to drink
the fulness of that bliss above.
8. Redeemed to God, redeemed by thee,
I sigh, I languish there to rest,
supremely happy, safe, and free,
for ever on thy tender breast.
9. To see thee, love thee, feel thee near,
nor dread as now thy transient stay:
to dwell beyond the reach of fear,
lest joy should wane or pass away.
10. Oh, what divine repose were this!
can mortal heart, O Lord, desire
more heavenly peace? – what more of bliss
can angel or can saint require?
Sir Edward Denny, Hymns and Poems, 1870, 60-62.