Once He Came in Blessing

Tune: Gottes Sohn ist kommen

  1. Once He came in blessing,
    All our ills redressing;
    Came in likeness lowly,
    Son of God most holy;
    Bore the cross to save us,
    Hope and freedom gave us.

  2. Still He comes within us,
    Still His voice would win us
    From the sins that hurt us;
    Would to Truth convert us
    From our foolish errors
    Ere He comes in terrors.

  3. Thus, if thou hast known Him,
    Not ashamed to own Him,
    But wilt trust Him boldly
    Nor dost love Him coldly,
    He will then receive thee,
    Heal thee, and forgive thee.

  4. This the Lord doth offer
    In the holy Supper,
    His own self bestowing
    And His love thus showing,
    That we may be nourished,
    Consciences encouraged.

  5. Those who, thus sustainèd,
    Steadfast have remainèd,
    And through faith unceasing
    Unto God are pleasing,
    They with joyous rapture
    Hence shall make departure.

  6. Yea, for swift impending
    Comes our life’s last ending,
    When He will from evil
    Save our souls most feeble
    And shall lead the faithful
    To the choirs of angels.

  7. Thence He’ll come, returning
    As He gave us warning,
    When the dead shall waken,
    From the earth be taken,
    At His feet adore Him,
    There to stand before Him.

  8. And, when He has tried them,
    Then shall He divide them,
    Some to joy uplifted,
    Cast to hell the wicked,
    Where they must forever
    Rue their ill behavior.

  9. Come, then, O Lord Jesus,
    From our sins release us,
    That by Thy great power
    We be kept each hour,
    Unto death confess Thee,
    And forever bless Thee.

Gottes Sohn ist kommen
Johann Horn, 1544, cento
Tr. composite
Source: Sts. 1–3, 9a The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941, No. 74
St. 4–8, 9b Christopher J. Neuendorf, 2018


German Text (coming soon)