Scripture Verse

Praise be to the Name of God forever and ever. Daniel 2:20

Introduction

portrait
Martin Luther (1483–1546)

Words: Verse 1, au­thor un­known, cir­ca 1400. Vers­es 2 & 3, Mar­tin Lu­ther, in the En­chi­ri­di­on (Er­furt, Ger­ma­ny: 1524). Com­po­site trans­la­tion.

Music: Gott sei Ge­lo­bet Ger­man tune, cir­ca 1400 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee, and ad­ore Thee,
In thanks­giv­ing bow before Thee.
Thou with Thy bo­dy and Thy blood didst nour­ish
Our weak souls that they may flour­ish.
O Lord, have mer­cy!
May Thy bo­dy, Lord, born of Ma­ry
That our sins and sor­row did car­ry,
And Thy blood for us plead
In all tri­al, fear and need:
O Lord, have mer­cy!

Thy ho­ly body in­to death was giv­en,
Life to win for us in Hea­ven.
No great­er love than this to Thee could bind us;
May this feast there­of re­mind us!
O Lord, have mer­cy!
Lord, Thy kind­ness did so con­strain Thee
That Thy blood should bless and sus­tain me.
All our debt Thou hast paid;
Peace with God once more is made:
O Lord, have mer­cy!

May God be­stow on us His grace and fa­vor
To please Him with our be­hav­ior
And live as breth­ren here in love and un­ion
Nor re­pent this blessed com­mun­ion!
O Lord, have mer­cy!
Let not Thy good Spir­it for­sake us;
Grant that hea­ven­ly mind­ed He make us;
Give Thy church, Lord, to see
Days of peace and uni­ty;
O Lord, have mer­cy!