1 O God, if Thy beloved Son
Had not to earth descended,
Nor by His death salvation won,
My woe would not be ended.
This sinful, wretched soul of mine
Would then in hell forever pine
Because of my transgression.
2 But now sweet peace and rest I find,
My soul no more despairing,
Since He, the sin of all mankind
I wondrous patience bearing,
For me has true atonement made,
Thine ever righteous wrath allayed,
And wrought my soul's salvation.
3 I trust in Him with all my heart,
And all my sorrow ceases;
His wounds abiding peace impart,
His blood from guilt releases,
Enables me free grace to gain
And washes me from ev'ry stain,
that snow-white I am rendered.
4 His blood affords me sure relief,
He is my joy forever;
Now from Thy love no pain or grief
My ransomed soul shall sever.
The crown of life, by Thy dear Son
For me, a wretched sinner, won.
No devil can wrest from me.
5 All human righteousness is vain,
Our works can never save us;
True righteousness by faith we gain,
The blood of Christ's must lave us.
His death, that perfect sacrifice,
Has paid the all-sufficient price;
In Him my hope is anchored.
Source: American Lutheran Hymnal #173
Johann Heermann's (b. Raudten, Silesia, Austria, 1585; d. Lissa, Posen [now Poland], 1647) own suffering and family tragedy led him to meditate on Christ's undeserved suffering. The only surviving child of a poor furrier and his wife, Heermann fulfilled his mother's vow at his birth that, if he lived, he would become a pastor. Initially a teacher, Heermann became a minister in the Lutheran Church in Koben in 1611 but had to stop preaching in 1634 due to a severe throat infection. He retired in 1638. Much of his ministry took place during the Thirty Years' War. At times he had to flee for his life and on several occasions lost all his possessions. Although Heermann wrote many of his hymns and poems during these devastating times, his persona… Go to person page >
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