"Jesus, Thou Art Mine Forever"
by Matthias Loy, 1828-1915
1. Jesus, Thou art mine forever,
Dearer far than earth to me;
Neither life nor death shall sever
Those sweet ties which bind to Thee.
2. All were drear to me and lonely
If Thy presence gladdened not;
While I sing to Thee, Thee only,
Mine's an ever blissful lot.
3. Thou alone art all my Treasure,
Who hast died that I may live;
Thou conferrest noblest pleasure,
Who dost all my sins forgive.
4. Brightest gems and fairest flowers
Lose their beauty in Thy frown;
Joy and peace, like balmy showers,
In Thy smile come gently down.
5. Jesus, Thou art mine forever;
Never suffer me to stray.
Let me in my weakness never
Cast my priceless pearl away.
6. Lamb of God, I do implore Thee,
Guard, support me, lest I fall.
Let me evermore adore Thee;
Be my everlasting All.
Hymn #357
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Ps. 73: 24
Author: Matthias Loy, 1863
Tune: "Stuttgart"
1st Published in: "Psalmodia Sacra"
Town: Gotha, 1715
From Matthias Loy. Sermons on the Epistles:
Ours has always been a singing Church. In the days of the Reformation, as historians tell us, our people not only preached the great truth of salvation from the housetops, but sang the precious Gospel of grace and truth into the hearts of the people in the fields and in the workshops, their hearts being full to overflowing and finding their natural vent in the songs of Zion.
She is the singing Church still, and her hymns are to this day the admiration of all who are able to appreciate the beauty and the power of sacred song. Let us avail ourselves of the treasures which are ours, and speak to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody in our hearts unto the Lord, thus fixing our attention upon the things which make for our peace and enrich the soul, and confessing our dear Saviour before the people and making His praise glorious in the land.
You perceive, my brethren, that we do not realize the idea of our text when we never sing the songs of Zion at home, and in our churches leave them to the choir, who may or who may not make melody in their hearts unto the Lord, and who may be interested in the service only as a musical performance designed to delight the audience, as in a concert hall or opera house. That is a desecration of the Church against which Christian people should set their faces. Our singing is to be part of our worship; if we would walk wisely we must engage in it in the same way as in the prayers offered at the altar in Jesus' name.
If any of us cannot sing, so as to sound the praises of God, we can at least make melody in our hearts to the Lord, and thus comply with the aspiration of the psalmist. "Let the people praise Thee, O Lord, let all the people praise Thee." Psalm 67:3. In this respect too it behooves us to walk circumspectly, lest we become indifferent to the worship of the Lord and embrace the delusion that this can be done by proxy. Be wise, and let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. This will then find joyful expression in the songs of Zion for edification in your homes and in your church.
From The Lutheran Librarian and The Lutheran Library
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