I Come To Thee, O Blessed Lord

Above:  St. Clare’s Episcopal Church, February 16, 2014

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnary (1935), Norwegian Lutheran Church of America

Original Norwegian Words (1861) by Magnus Brostrup Landstad (1802-1880)

English Translation (1910) by Carl Doving (1867-1937)

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1.  I come to Thee, O blessed Lord,

Invited by Thy gracious word

To this Thy feast, to sup with Thee,

Grant that a worthy guest I be.

2.  I come to Thee with sin and grief,

For Thou alone canst give relief,

Thy death for me, dear Lord, I plead:

O Jesus, help me in my need!

3.  Shouldst Thou a strict account demand,

Who could, O Lord, before Thee stand?

Purge all my secret sins away:

Be Thou, O Christ, the sinner’s stay!

4.  O Jesus, Lamb of God, alone,

Who didst for all our sins atone,

Though I have sinned and gone astray,

Turn not, O Lord, Thy guest away!

5.  O Jesus, Lamb of God alone,

Who didst for our sins atone,

Be merciful, I Thee implore,

Have mercy, Lord, for evermore!