All Thanks to God Who Gives Us Life

 

A Hymn on Marriage

L M

Tune: Tallis Canon or Erhalt uns, Herr

For EH

 

1. All thanks to God who gives us life

Through marriage of a man and wife,

What You have joined together here

Gives labor love and duty cheer.

 

2. In Your creation we may see

The love within Your liberty,

How we are formed to serve and give,

That others through our love might live.

 

3. What blessings come from woman's womb,

Through which our God did once assume

Our flesh and blood and sanctified

The life of every human child!

 

4. Forgive us if we go astray

And leave the one and narrow way;

Call us with words of comfort sure,

Which pardon sin and make us pure.

 

5. Grant that as Christ so loved his Bride

He gave himself for her and died,

To cleanse her from her sin and shame

And give to her His holy name,

 

6. So may each man of Christian faith

Cling kindly to his wife till death,

So that in every family

We see Your love's pure mystery.

 

7. Grant that as now the Church receives

The glory that her Savior gives,

As Sarah called her husband lord,

Let every wife embrace this word.

 

8. Let every man provide for them

Whom you have given unto him,

Give every mother strength and prayer

For those You put within her care.

 

9. Drive far from us adultery,

Lest we Your wrath and anger see,

Drive from our hearts all lusts perverse

That would Your pure design reverse.

 

10. Keep well our children chaste and pure,

And when the world and flesh allure,

Grant them repentance, guard their faith,

Return them to Your Spirit's bath.

 

11. And give to each a Christian spouse,

And keep Your Word within their house,

And if it be Your gracious will,

Their home with many children fill.

 

12. All thanks to God the Father, Son,

And Holy Spirit, Three in One,

To Him in whom we live and move

Be all our praise and all our love.

2/28/12