O Love, Who Madest Me to Wear - #397 - Winkworth Translation

"O Love, Who Madest Me to Wear"
by Johann Scheffler, 1624-1677
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

1. O Love, who madest me to wear
The image of Thy Godhead here;
Who soughtest me with tender care
Thro' all my wand'rings wild and drear,--
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine, to be.

2. O Love, who ere life's earliest dawn
On me Thy choice hast gently laid;
O Love, who here as man wast born
And like to us in all things made,--
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine, to be.

3. O Love, who once in time wast slain,
Pierced thro' and thro' with bitter woe;
O Love, who, wrestling thus, didst gain
That we eternal joy might know,--
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine, to be.

4. O Love, who thus hast bound me fast
Beneath that easy yoke of Thine;
Love, who hast conquered me at last,
Enrapturing this heart of mine,--
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine, to be.

5. O Love, who lovest me for aye,
Who for my soul dost ever plead;
O Love, who didst my ransom pay,
Whose power sufficeth in my stead,--
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine, to be.

6. O Love, who once shalt bid me rise
From out this dying life of ours;
O Love, who once above yon skies
Shalt set me in the fadeless bowers,--
O Love, I give myself to Thee,
Thine ever, only Thine, to be.

Hymn #397
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: 1 John 4:16
Author: Johann Scheffler, 1657
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1858
Titled: "Liebe, die du mich zum Bilde"
Tune: "Heut' triumphieret Gottes Sohn"
1st Published in: Deutsche geistliche Lieder
Town: Frankfurt a. O., 1601