Hymn: If God Himself be for me
- Title: If God Himself Be for Me
- First Line: If God Himself be for me
- Hymnal: Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary
- Denomination: Evangelical Lutheran Synod
- Publisher: MorningStar Music Publishers Inc.
- Publication Date: 1996
Author(s)
- Author Name: Paul Gerhardt
- Born: 1607
- Died: 1676
- Gender: M
- Author Name: Richard Massie
- Born: 1800
- Died: 1887
- Gender: M
Full Text
1 If God Himself be for me, I may a host defy; For when I pray, before me My foes confounded fly. If Christ, the Head, befriend me If God be my support The mischief they intend me Shall quickly come to naught. 2 This I believe, yea, rather, In this I make my boast, That God is my dear Father, The Friend who loves me most; And that, whate'er betide me, My Savior is at hand Through stormy seas to guide me And bring me safe to land. 3 I build on this foundation: That Jesus and His blood Alone are my salvation, The true, eternal good. Without Him all that pleases Is valueless on earth; The gifts I owe to Jesus Alone my love are worth. 4 My Jesus is my Splendor, My soul's bright beaming Sun; Were He not my Defender Before God's awful throne, I never should find favor And mercy in His sight, But be destroyed forever As darkness by the light. 5 He canceled my offenses, And saved my soul from death; 'Tis He who ever cleanses Me from my sins through faith. In Him I can be cheerful, Bold, and undaunted aye. In Him I am not fearful Of God's great Judgment Day. 6 Naught, naught, can e'er condemn me, Nor set my hope aside; Now hell no more can claim me, Its fury I deride. No sentence e'er reproves me, No ill destroys my peace, For Christ, my Savior, loves me And shields me with His grace. 7 His Holy Spirit dwelleth Within my willing heart, Tames it when it rebelleth And soothes the keenest smart. He crowns His work with blessing, And helpeth me to cry, 'My Father!' without ceasing, To Him who dwells on high. 8 And when my soul is lying Weak, trembling, and opprest, He pleads with groans and sighing That cannot be expressed; But God's quick eye discerns them, Although they give no sound, And into language turns them E'en in the heart's deep ground. 9 To mine His Spirit speaketh Sweet word of holy cheer, How God, to him that seeketh For rest, is always near, And how He hath erected A city fair and new, Where what our faith expected We evermore shall view. 10 In yonder home doth flourish My heritage, my lot; Though here I die and perish, My heav'n shall fail me not. Though care my life oft saddens And causeth tears to flow, The light of Jesus gladdens And sweetens ev'ry woe. 11 Who clings with resolution To Him whom Satan hates Must look for persecution Which never here abates; Reproaches, griefs and losses Rain fast upon his head, A thousand plagues and crosses Become his daily bread. 12 All this I am prepared for, Yet am I not afraid; By Thee shall all be cared for, To whom my vows were paid. Though life and limb it cost me, And all the earthly store Which once so much engrossed me, I love Thee all the more. 13 Not fire, nor sword, not thunder, Shall sever me from Thee; Though earth be rent asunder, Thou'rt mine eternally. Not hunger, thirst, nor danger, Not pain, or pinching want, Nor mighty princes' anger My fearless soul shall daunt. 14 No angel, and no gladness, No throne, no pomp, nor show, No love, no hate, no sadness, No pain, no depth of woe, No scheme of man's contrivance, Though it be great or small, Shall draw me from Thy guidance Nor one of these, nor all! 15 My merry heart is springing, And knows not how to pine; 'Tis full of joy and singing, And radiancy divine, The Sun whose smiles so cheers me Is Jesus Christ alone; To have Him always near me Is heav'n itself begun.