Shall we not love thee, mother dear

1 Shall we not love thee, mother dear,
whom Jesus loves so well?
And, to his glory, year by year,
thy joy and honour tell?

2 Bound with the curse of sin and shame
we helpless sinners lay,
until in tender love he came
to bear the curse away.

3 And thee he chose from whom to take
true flesh his flesh to be;
in it to suffer for our sake,
by it to make us free.

4 Thy Babe he lay upon thy breast,
to thee he cried for food;
thy gentle nursing soothed to rest
th'Incarnate Son of God.

5 O wondrous depth of love divine,
that he should bend so low!
And, Mary, oh, what joy was thine
in his dear love to know;

6 joy to be mother of the Lord,
and thine the truer bliss,
in every thought, and deed, and word
to be for ever his.

7 And as he loves thee, mother dear,
we too will love thee well;
and, to his glory, year by year,
thy joy and honour tell.

8 Jesu, the virgin's holy Son,
we praise thee and adore,
who art with God the Father One
and Spirit evermore.

Source: CPWI Hymnal #747