Come, Dear Lord Jesus, Breathe Your Pardon

 

A Quasimodogeniti meditation

9.8.9.8.8.8

Tune: Wer Weiss Wie Nahe (TLH 598)

 

Come, dear Lord Jesus, breathe your pardon

Into my heart with words You speak;

Take from my soul sin’s heavy burden,

And give Your strength to me so weak;

For in my flesh is nothing good,

And by myself I run from God. 

 

Why do I try to earn His favor,

Ignoring what is in my heart,

As if I could be my own savior,

From dying flesh new life impart?

No sinner ever comfort saw

From his opinion of the Law.

 

The door is locked, while I am hiding

From fears without, but fears within

Deep in my heart are still abiding,

Since all my fear comes from my sin,

And death is all I can expect

As long as I Your love reject.

 

Come through the walls of my poor conscience,

As to the apostles You appeared,

Come with your meek and loving patience,

And show the wounds which You endured,

Knowing full well my sin and guilt,

When willingly Your blood was spilt.

 

Now risen, but Your wounds remaining

Speak peace into my restless soul!

By this alone You are sustaining

The faith that You make beautiful,

Because it clings alone to You,

And knows that what You speak is true. 

 

When for a while the skies are shuttered,

The earth for lack of rain is dried,

So till I taste the grace You’ve uttered,

I think my feeble faith has died,

But when You speak Your peace to me,

The Father’s open heart I see. 

 

So open now my heart, my Savior,

Tear out all trust and faith in me,

That I may look to You forever

In joy and in adversity,

Until, when I must yield my breath,

I see the peace I have by faith. 

            4/24/19