Dearest Jesus, Hear My Prayer

 

A hymn for Esto Mihi (Quinquegesima) Sunday

The healing of the blind beggar (Lk 18)

Based on a sermon by John Arndt

Tune: Hamburg (Go to Dark Gethsemane)

 

1. Dearest Jesus, hear my prayer!

Open now my spirit’s eyes.

All is darkness everywhere

When the soul by sinning dies;

Lord, have mercy! David’s Son,

Show the light Your cross has won.

 

2. What these mortal eyes can see

Soon will fade with life’s short day;

Darker must my spirit be,

Which so often chose to stray.

Night can’t end and I am blind

While my guilt still rules my mind.

 

3. Once in Egypt darkness came;

In their houses shone no light;

Where none calls upon Your name,

Unbelief knows only night;

But in Israel they could see –

Israel’s Lord, so shine on me.

 

4. Joshua, chasing Israel’s foes,

Told the sun to stand in place;

So the faith the blind man shows

Stops the Sun of Righteousness!

Body sees and spirit too

By the One who makes them new.

 

5. We are beggars, this is true.

You are God who loves to give;

For the weak You love to do;

For the sinners You forgive;

To this blind and broken heart,

Son of David, sight impart!

 

6. Only where His blood is spilt,

With the mocking, spit, and shame,

Where He suffered for my guilt,

David’s Son His crown will claim,

With the dawn from the death shall rise

Now to open sinners’ eyes. 

 

7. Speak, dear Jesus, to the poor!

Move their hearts to cry to You;

Than their sin Your grace is more –

Every Word You speak is true.

So you tell us, “See again!”

When You pardon all our sin.

 

8. Soon removed our daily cross,

When our exile will be past;

Glory will replace our loss –

We will see Your face at last,

When forever ends the night

In Your resurrection’s light.

            2/28/19