"Lord Jesus Christ, My Life, My Light"
                           by Martin Behm, 1557-1622
                    Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1878
                                  Text From:
                     THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
               (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942) p.115



        1. Lord Jesus Christ, my Life, my Light,
        My Strength by day, my Trust by night,
        On earth I'm but a passing guest
        And sorely with my sins opprest.

        2. Far off I see my fatherland,
        Where through Thy blood I hope to stand.
        But ere I reach that Paradise,
        A weary way before me lies.

        3. My heart sulks at the journey's length,
        My wasted flesh has little strength;
        My soul alone still cries in me:
        "Lord, take me home, take me to Thee!"

        4. Oh, let Thy sufferings give me power
        To meet the last and darkest hour!
        Thy blood refresh and comfort me;
        Thy bonds and fetters make me free.

        5. Oh, let Thy holy wounds for me
        Clefts in the rock forever be
        Where as a dove my soul can hide
        And safe from Satan's rage abide.

        6. And when my spirit flies away,
        Thy dying words shall be my stay.
        Thy cross shall be my staff in life,
        Thy holy grave my rest from strife.

        7. Lord, in Thy nail-prints let me read
        That Thou to save me hast decreed
        And grant that in Thine opened side
        My troubled soul may ever hide.

        8. Since Thou hast died, the Pure, the Just.
        I take my homeward way in trust.
        The gates of heaven, Lord, open wide
        When here I may no more abide.

        9. And when the last Great Day shall come
        And Thou, our Judge, shalt speak the doom,
        Let me with joy behold the light
        And set me then upon Thy right.

        10. Renew this wasted flesh of mine
        That like the sun it there may shine
        Among the angels pure and bright,
        Yea, like Thyself in glorious light.

        11. Ah, then I'll have my heart's desire,
        When, singing with the angels' choir,
        Among the ransomed of Thy grace,
        Forever I'll behold Thy face!

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        Notes:
        Hymn #148 from _The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal_
        Text: Luke 23:33
        Author: Martin Behm, 1610, cento
        Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1858, 1863, alt.
        Titled: "O Jesu Christ, mein's Lebens Licht"
        Tune: "O Jesu Christ, mein's"
        1st Published in: _Nuernbergisches Gesangbuch_, 1676
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        This text was converted to ascii format for Project Wittenberg
           by Cindy A. Beesley and is in the public domain. You may
        freely distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any
       comments or suggestions to: Rev. Robert E. Smith of the Walther
                  Library at Concordia Theological Seminary.
                                      
                         E-mail: bob_smith@ctsfw.edu

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