Lord Jesus Christ, My Life, My Light

Lord Je­sus Christ

my life

my light

My strength by day

my trust by night

On earth I’m but a pass­ing guest

And sore­ly with my sins op­pressed.

Far off I see my fa­ther­land

Where through Thy blood I hope to stand.

But ere I reach that para­dise

A weary way be­fore me lies.

My heart sinks at the jour­ney’s length

My wast­ed flesh and lit­tle strength;

My soul alone still cries in me:

Lord

take me home

take me to Thee!

Oh

let Thy suf­fer­ings give me pow­er

To meet the last and dark­est hour!

Thy blood re­fresh and com­fort me;

Thy bonds and fet­ters make me free.

Oh

let Thy ho­ly wounds for me

Clefts in the rock for­ev­er be

Where as a dove my soul can hide

And safe from Sa­tan’s rage ab­ide.

And when my spir­it flies away

Thy dy­ing words shall be my stay.

Thy cross shall be my staff in life

Thy ho­ly grave my rest from strife.

Lord

in Thy nail prints let me read

That Thou to save me hast de­creed

And grant that in Thine op­ened side

My trou­bled soul may ev­er hide.

Since Thou hast died

the pure

the just

I take my home­ward way in trust.

The gates of Heav’n

Lord

op­en wide

When here I may no more ab­ide.

And when the last great day shall come

And Thou

our judge

shalt speak the doom

Let me with joy be­hold the light

And set me then up­on Thy right.

Renew this wast­ed flesh of mine

That like the sun it there may shine

Among the an­gels pure and bright

Yea

like Thy­self in glo­ri­ous light.

Ah

then I’ll have my heart’s de­sire

When

sing­ing with the an­gels’ choir

Among the ran­somed of Thy grace

Forever I’ll be­hold Thy face!