A Hymn of Paul Gerhardt

Many of you may have only become aware of Paul Gerhardt through the mention of his name, and that of his wife Mary, by reading the previous blog post. I wanted to share with you a hymn of his that he read Mary, at her request, during the last moments of her earthly life. I trust your reading of it will not only convey Gerhardt's excellence with hymn writing, but also encourage you to consider if these word would so strengthen you at your final moments of earthly life. May the truths reflected in this hymn find home in your heart.


"Thou blessed Shepherd hail!
Whose hands all pierced and riven,
Are with the holy roses filled,
Whose sweetness gladdens heaven.
The bleeding prints of nails,
Which tore them on the tree,
These are the roses which Thy hands
Bear, blooming still for me.

Wide open are Thy hands,
Paying with more than gold
The awful debt of guilty men,
Forever and of old--
Ah, let me grasp those hands,
That we may never part,
And let the power of their blood,
Sustain my fainting heart.

Wide open are Thine arms,
A fallen world to embrace,
To take to love and endless rest,
Our whole forsaken race.
Lord, I am sad and poor,
But boundless is Thy grace;
Give me the soul-transforming joy,
For which I seek Thy face.

Draw all my mind and heart,
Up to Thy throne on high,
And let Thy sacred cross exalt
My spirit to the sky.
O, let me die with Thee,
Thy bleeding heart beside;
Let sin which lives and reigns in me,
With Thee be crucified.

To these Thy loving hands,
Whose pangs were wrought by me,
My trembling lips I fain would press,
To all eternity;
To these Thy mighty hands
My spirit I resign,
Living, I live alone to Thee,
Dying, alone am Thine."


(from Pictures from the Life of Paul Gerhardt)