Christ My Song - 1462
Jesus, Friend of sinners - The Saviour of sinners
(Carl Johann Philipp Spitta/Richard Massie/
Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
The Saviour of sinners.
1. Jesus, Friend of sinners,
move my soul, I pray thee,
both to choose thee and obey thee,
and in thee discover
daily some new treasure,
depths of love no line can measure;
O may I,
drawn thereby,
follow, where thou goest,
who the true way showest. PDF - Midi
2. While my life remaineth,
deepen my impression
of the guilt and great transgression
which thou hast forgiven;
that my heart's affection,
sweetly drawn by this reflection,
may arise
to the skies,
with thee ever living,
by faith, with thanksgiving.
3. Some new sin or other,
daily I discover,
which if thou, Lord, didst not cover,
I might justly tremble;
I am weak and ailing,
daily stumbling, hourly failing;
but thy blood,
Lamb of God,
which from all sin cleanses,
blots out my offences.
4. Ere the voice of Jesus
yet had found and called me,
sin, alas! had so enthralled me,
and so firmly bound me,
that without resistance,
helpless, hopeless of assistance,
to her sway,
night and day,
I, alas! consented,
though by her tormented.
5. But since thou, my Saviour,
didst bring help and freedom
from this spiritual Edom,
tho' sin hath no longer
in vile bondage held me,
nor to do her will compelled me;
yet doth she
constantly
struggle to recall me,
and again enthrall me.
6. Ah! how sweet thy promise,
in thine arms to bear us,
and that none from thee shall tear us;
and shouldst thou permit us
now and then to stumble,
'tis alone to keep us humble;
soon would sin
victory win,
didst not thou defend us,
and thy succour lend us.
7. Thou art still our helper,
for us interceding,
with the Father warmly pleading,
that he would forgive us
all our great offences,
and bear with our negligences.
To us all,
when we fall,
thy blood brings sweet healing,
our forgiveness sealing.
8. Through the blood of Jesus
we have now remission
of our sins, and free admission
into the most Holy;
nor will he forsake us,
though sin should sometimes o'ertake us:
they are clean
from all sin,
who in him are living,
sprinkled, washed, forgiven.
9. Truth by man unfathomed!
Love that hath no ending!
Grace all human thought transcending!
Who can e'er forget it,
how he died to save us,
how he pitied and forgave us?
Who can them
now condemn,
whom he hath forgiven,
and made heirs of heaven?
Richard Massie, Lyra Domestica I, 1863, 40-43.
Translated from the German Heiland aller Sünder! - Der Heiland der Sünder
of Carl Johann Philipp Spitta.