Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
1 Corinthians 11:28
Words: Friedrich C. Heyder, 1710, cento (Ich komm’ zu deinem Abendmahle). Composite translation.
Music: Ich sterbe täglich Emskirchner Choralbuch, municipal library, Leipzig, Germany, 1756 (🔊 pdf nwc).
If you know where to get a good picture of Heyder (head & shoulders, at least 200×300 pixels),
I come, O Savior, to Thy table,
For weak and weary is my soul;
Thou, Bread of Life, alone art able
To satisfy and make me whole:
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Lord, may Thy body and Thy blood
Be for my soul the highest good!
Oh, grant that I in manner worthy
May now approach Thy heav’nly board
And, as I lowly bow before Thee,
Look only unto Thee, O Lord!
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Unworthy though I am, O Savior,
Because I have a sinful heart,
Yet Thou Thy lamb wilt banish never,
For Thou my faithful Shepherd art:
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Oh, let me loathe all sin forever
As death and poison to my soul
That I through willful sinning never
May see Thy judgment take its toll!
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Thy heart is filled with fervent yearning
That sinners may salvation see
Who, Lord, to Thee in faith are turning;
So I, a sinner, come to Thee.
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Weary am I and heavy laden,
With sin my soul is sore opprest;
Receive me graciously and gladden
My heart, for I am now Thy guest.
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Thou here wilt find a heart most lowly
That humbly falls before Thy feet,
That duly weeps o’er sin, yet solely
Thy merit pleads, as it is meet.
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By faith I call Thy holy table
The testament of Thy deep love;
For, lo, thereby I now am able
To see how love Thy heart doth move.
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What higher gift can we inherit?
It is faith’s bond and solid base;
It is the strength of heart and spirit,
The covenant of hope and grace.
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This feast is manna, wealth abounding
Unto the poor, to weak ones power,
To angels joy, to hell confounding,
And life for me in death’s dark hour.
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Thy body, giv’n for me, O Savior,
Thy blood which Thou for me didst shed,
These are my life and strength forever,
By them my hungry soul is fed.
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With Thee, Lord, I am now united;
I live in Thee and Thou in me.
No sorrow fills my soul, delighted
It finds its only joy in Thee.
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Who can condemn me now? For surely
The Lord is nigh, who justifies.
No hell I fear, and thus securely
With Jesus I to Heaven rise.
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Though death may threaten with disaster,
It cannot rob me of my cheer;
For He who is of death the Master,
With aid and comfort e’er is near.
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My heart has now become Thy dwelling,
O blessèd, holy Trinity.
With angels I, Thy praises telling,
Shall live in joy eternally.
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