Christ My Song - 1485
O how sweet the sadness - The repentance not to be repented of (Carl Johann Philipp Spitta/Richard Massie/
Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
The repentance not to be repented of.
1. O how sweet the sadness,
soon to end in gladness,
of the godly smart,
which we then conceivèd,
when we first believèd,
and first knew our heart;
so perverse,
beneath the curse,
weary of our heavy burden,
without peace and pardon. PDF - Midi
2. How did then refresh us
thy words sweet and precious:
"Come, ye souls distressed,
come with all your burden;
I will grant you pardon,
I will give you rest."
Thou hast died,
been crucified,
and procured us free salvation
by thy death and passion.
3. Such a deep contrition
for our sad condition
waken in our hearts,
that, our danger feeling,
we may seek the healing
which thy blood imparts,
nor reject,
or through neglect,
and through our procrastination,
lose so great salvation.
Richard Massie, Lyra Domestica II, 1864, 67-68. (3,8 there without "through".)
Translated from the German Was uns nie gereuet - Die Reue, die nie gereuet
of Carl Johann Philipp Spitta.