1. SAVIOUR, when in dust to Thee
Low we bo the trembling knee;
When repentant to the skies
Scarce we lift our weeping eyes;
O by all Thy pains and woe,
Suffered once for man below,
Bending from Thy throne on high, -
Hear our solemn litany.
2. By Thy birth and early years,
By Thy human grief and tears,
By Thy fasting and distress
In the lonely wilderness,
By Thy victory in the hour
Of the subtle tempter's power,
Jesus, look with pitying eye,
Hear our solemn litany.
3. By Thine hour of dark despair,
By Thine agony of prayer,
By the purple robe of scorn,
By Thy wounds, Thy crown of thorn,
By Thy cross, Thy pangs and cries,
By Thy perfect sacrifice, —
Jesus, look with pitying eye,
Hear our solemn litany.
4. By Thy deep expiring groan,
By the sealed sepulchral stone,
By Thy triumph o'er the grave,
By Thy power from death to save,
Mighty God, ascended Lord,
To Thy throne in heaven restored,
Prince and Saviour, hear our cry,
Hear our solemn litany.
XIII. Faith and Justification.
1. DEAR Christian people, now rejoice,
And banish all your sadness,
While with united heart and voice
We sing with love and gladness,
And tell how God beheld our need,
And wrought that sweet and wondrous deed
That hath so dearly cost Him.
1. Fast bound in Satan's chains I lay,
Death brooded darkly o'er me,
My sins oppressed me night and day,
Therein my mother bore me,
And always deeper still I fell,
In all my life was nothing well,
So sore had sin possessed me.
3. My good works could avail me naught,
For they with sin were stained,
My will against God's justice fought,
And dead to good remained;
My anguish drove me to despair,
Whilst death frowned on me everywhere,
And hell yawned just before me.
4. But God from all eternity
Looked on me in compassion;
His tender mercy flowed tow'rd me,
He willed my souls salvation;
His father's heart yearned over me:
What greater love than this could be,
Which gave His richest treasure?
5. He spake to His beloved Son:
""T is time to take compassion;
Go Thou, my Son, my heart's bright Crown,
And bring to man salvation;
From sin and sorrow set him free,
Slay bitter death for him, that he
May live with Thee forever."
6. The Son delighted to obey,
And, born of virgin mother,
Awhile in this low world did stay,
And thus became my brother;
His mighty power He hidden bore,
A servant's form like mine He wore,
My foe for me to vanquish.
7. To me He spake: "Hold fast by me,
I am thy Rock and Castle,
Myself I wholly give for thee,
For thee I strive and wrestle;
For I am thine, and thou art mine,
Henceforth my place is also thine,
The foe shall never part us.
8. "I know that he will shed my blood, And of my life bereave me,
But I will bear it for thy good;
Be steadfast and believe me:
My life from death the victory wins,
My innocence doth bear thy sins,
And thus thou art delivered.
9. "And when to heaven I ascend, My glory to inherit,
I still will be thy Lord, and send
To thee my Holy Spirit,
To comfort thee in every woe,
Instruct thee how me right to know,
And into truth to guide thee.
10. "As I have done and taught, so thou
To do and teach endeavor;
Then shall my kingdom flourish now,
And God be praised forever;
And this last counsel give I thee:
From men's additions keep thou free
The treasure I have left thee."
1. NOW I have found the ground wherein
Sure my soul's anchor may remain;
The wounds of Jesus, for my sin
Before the world's foundation slain;
Whose mercy shall unshaken stay,
When heaven and earth are fled away.
2. Father, Thine everlasting grace
Our feeble thought surpasses far;
Thy heart still melts with tenderness,
Thine arms of love still open are,
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