Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church ‎#335

335. If God Himself be for me

1 If God Himself be for me,
I may a host defy;
For when I pray, before me
My foes confounded, fly.
If Christ, the Head, befriend me,
If God be my support,
The mischief they intend me
Shall quickly come to naught.

2 I build on this foundation;
That Jesus and His Blood
Alone are my salvation,
The true eternal good;
Without Him all that pleases
Is valueless on earth:
The gifts I owe to Jesus
Alone my love are worth.

3 His Holy Spirit dwelleth
Within my willing heart,
Tames it when it rebelleth,
And soothes the keenest smart.
He crowns His work with blessing,
And helpeth me to cry
"My Father!" without ceasing,
To Him Who reigns on high.

4 To mine His Spirit speaketh
Sweet words of soothing power,
How God to Him that seeketh
For rest, hath rest in store--
How God Himself prepareth
My heritage and lot,
And, though my body weareth,
My heaven shall fail me not.

Amen.

Text Information

• First Line: If God Himself be for me
• Translator: Richard Massie (1857)
• Author: Paul Gerhardt (1653)
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1917
• Topic: The Christian Life: Faith

Tune Information

• Name: ST. THEODULPH
• Composer: Melchior Teschner (1615)
• Meter: 7 6, 7 6. D.
• Key: C Major