Lord Jesus, Thou Art Going Forth

Above:  One of My Crucifixes, July 2014

Image Source = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Hymn Source = The Lutheran Hymnal (1941), Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America

Stanzas #1-3, 5 (1651) by Caspar Friedrich Nachtenhofer (1621-1685)

Stanza #4 (1699) by Magnus Daniel Omeis (1646-1708)

English Translation (1927, 1940) by William Gustave Polack (1890-1950)

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The Soul:

1.  Lord Jesus, Thou art going forth

For me Thy life to offer;

For me, a sinner from my birth,

Who caused all Thou must suffer.

So be it, then,

Thou Hope of men;

Thee I shall follow weeping,

Tears flowing free

Thy pain to see,

Watch o’er Thy sorrows keeping.

Jesus:

2.  O Soul, attend thou and behold

The fruit of thy transgression!

My portion is the curse of old

And for man’s sin My Passion.

Now comes the night

Of sin’s dread might,

Man’s guilt I here am bearing.

Oh, weigh it, Soul;

I make thee whole,

No need now of despairing.

The Soul:

3.  ‘Tis I, Lord, Jesus, I confess,

Who should have borne sin’s wages

And lost the peace of heavenly bliss

Through everlasting ages.

Instead ’tis Thou

Who goest now

My punishment to carry.

Thy death and blood

Lead me to God;

By grace I there may tarry.

Jesus:

4.  O Soul, I take upon Me now

The pain thou shouldst have suffered.

Behold, with grace I thee endow,

Grace freely to thee offered.

The curse I choose

That thou mightst lose

Sin’s curse and guilt forever.

My gift of love

From heaven above

Will give thee blessing ever.

The Soul:

What can I for such love divine

To Thee, Lord Jesus, render?

No merit has this heart of mine;

Yet while I live, I’ll tender

Myself alone,

And all I own,

In love to serve before Thee;

Then when time’s past,

Take me at last

To Thy blest home in glory.