And what an exhortation!
Let us gladly die with Jesus.
Since by death He conquered death,
He will free us from destruction
Give to us immortal breath.
Let us mortify all passion
That will lead us into sin;
And the grave that shuts us in
Shall but prove the gate to heaven.
Jesus, here with You I die,
There to live with You on high.
LSB 685:3
I memorized this as my confirmation hymn back in 1961. Also memorized many other hymns during my Lutheran school days. Now many hymns have been slightly reworded (and I really don't always see the reasoning)so that we who learned them from TLH have to adjust and dare not sing along without referring closely to the new hymn books. A minor annoyance, but an annoyance nonetheless for someone who resists change.
ReplyDeleteDo you know that whenever you post the text to a wonderful hymn, I stop and take a minute to sing it - and the other verses, too, if I know them from memory.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this - for all of them.
Just sang it to a parishioner who is not faring well, Cha, and may be drawing near the end of earthly pilgrimage.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine anything better than to hear such a comforting hymn as I draw close to reaching the church triumphant! (BTW, I just sang it and my cats came running over to see what was wrong with me, LOL! I got bit another time I tried to sing a hymn. *Sigh* Make a joyful "noise", I guess.)
ReplyDeleteA classic example of why it's so good to commit such things to memory. They will always be there to draw upon when needed.
ReplyDelete