Scripture Verse

Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. Luke 9:57

Introduction

Words: Chris­tian Kei­mann, 1658 (Mein­en Je­sum lass’ ich nicht). Com­po­site trans­la­tion.

Music: Mein­em Je­sum lass ich nicht Neu­ver­fer­tig­es Ge­sang­buch (Darm­stadt, Ger­ma­ny: 1699) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Kei­mann (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

Jesus I will ne­ver leave,
Who for me Him­self hath giv’n;
Firmly un­to Him I’ll cleave
Nor from Him be ever driv’n.
Life from Him doth light re­ceive,
Jesus I will ne­ver leave.

Jesus I will ne­ver leave
While on earth I am abid­ing;
That I have to Him I give,
All my cares in Him con­fid­ing.
Naught shall me of Him be­reave,
Jesus I will ne­ver leave.

Though my sight shall pass away,
Hearing, taste, and feel­ing fail me;
Though my life’s last light of day
Shall o’er­take and sore as­sail me;
When His sum­mons I re­ceive,
Jesus I will ne­ver leave.

Nor will I my Je­sus leave
When at last I shall come thi­ther
Where His saints He will rec­eive,
Where in bliss they live to­ge­ther.
Endless joy to me He’ll give,
Jesus I will ne­ver leave.

Not for earth’s vain joys I crave
Nor, with­out him, Hea­ven’s plea­sure;
Jesus, who my soul did save,
Evermore shall be my trea­sure.
He re­demp­tion did achieve,
Jesus I will ne­ver leave.