Text:See, world! thy Life assailèd

77. See, world! thy Life assailèd

1 SEE, world! thy Life assailèd;
On the accursed tree nailèd,
Thy Saviour sinks in death!
The mighty Prince from heaven
Himself hath freely given
To shame, and blows, and cruel wrath!

2 Come hither now and ponder,
’Twill fill thy soul with wonder,
Blood streams from every pore.
Through grief whose depth none knoweth,
From His great heart there floweth
Sigh after sigh of anguish o’er!

3 Who is it that afflicts Thee?
My Saviour what dejects Thee
And causeth all Thy woe?
Sin Thou committed’st never,
As we and our seed ever,
Of deeds of evil naught dost know.

4 I many times transgressing,
In number far surpassing
The sand upon the coast,
I thus the cause have given,
That Thou with grief art riven,
And the afflicted martyr host.

5 I’ve done it, and deliver
Me hand and foot forever
Thou justly might’st to hell.
The mocking to Thee offered,
The scourging Thou hast suffered,
My soul it was deserved it well.

6 The load Thou takest on Thee,
That pressed so sorely on me,
Than stone more heavily.
A curse, Lord, Thou becamest,
Thus blessings for me claimest,
Thy pain must all my comfort be.

7 Not death itself Thou fearest,
As surety Thou appearest
For all my debts and me.
For me Thy brow is crownèd
With thorns, and Thou’rt disownèd
By men, and bear’st all patiently.

8 Into death’s jaws Thou springest,
Deliverance to me bringest
From such a monster dire.
My death away Thou takest,
Thy grave its grave Thou makest;
Of love, O unexampled fire!

9 I’m bound, my Saviour ever,
By ties most sacred never
Thy service to forsake;
With soul and body ever,
With all my powers t’endeavor,
In praise and service joy to take.

10 Not much can I be giving
In this poor life I’m living,
But one thing do I say:
Thy death and sorrows ever,
Till soul from body sever,
My heart remember shall for aye.

11 Before mine eyes I’ll place them,
And joyfully embrace them,
Wherever I may be,
They’ll be a glass revealing
Pure innocence, and sealing
Love and unfeigned sincerity.

12 Of sin how great the danger;
How it excites God’s anger;
How doth His vengeance burn;
How sternly He chastiseth;
How His wrath’s flood ariseth:--
Shall I from all Thy suff’rings learn.

13 From them shall I be learning,
How I may be adorning,
My heart with quietness,
And how I still should love them
Whose malice aye doth move them
To grieve me by their wickedness.

14 When tongues of bad men grieve me,
Of peace and name deprive me,
My restive heart I’ll still;
Their evil deeds enduring,
Of pardon free assuring
My neighbor for his every ill.

15 I’ll on the cross unite me
To Thee, what doth delight me
I’ll there renounce for aye.
Whate’er Thy Spirit’s grieving,
There I’ll for aye be leaving
As much as in my strength doth lay.

16 Thy groaning and Thy sighing,
Thy thousand tears and crying,
That once were heard from Thee.
They’ll lead me to Thy glory,
Where I shall joy before Thee,
And evermore at rest shall be!

Text Information
First Line: See, world! thy Life assailèd
Meter: 7, 7, 6, 7, 7, 8.
Language: English
Publication Date: 1893
Topic: Passion
Notes: J. Kelly, Tr.; German: O Welt, sieh hier dein Leben - P. Gerhardt, 1653
Tune Information
(No tune information)



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