Church Book ‎#544

544. My God, I know that I must die

1 My God, I know that I must die:
My mortal life is passing hence;
On earth I neither hope nor try
To find a lasting residence.
Then teach me by Thy heavenly grace
With joy and peace my death to face.

2 My God, I know not when I die;
What is the moment or the hour;
How soon the clay may broken lie,
How quickly pass away the flower:
Then may Thy child preparéd be
Through time to meet eternity.

3 My God, I know not how I die;
For death has many ways to come,
In dark mysterious agony,
On gently as a sleep to some.
Just as Thou wilt, if but it be
To bring me, blessed Lord, to Thee!

4 My God, I know not where I die,
Where is my grace, beneath what strand;
Yet from its gloom I do rely
To be delivered by Thy hand.
Content, I take what spot is mine,
Since all the earth,, my Lord, is Thine.

5 My gracious God, when I must die,
O bear my happy soul above,
With Christ, my Lord, eternally
To share Thy glory and Thy Love:
Then comes it right and well to me,
When, where, and how my death shall be.

Text Information

• First Line: My God, I know that I must die
• German Title: Mein Gott, ich weiss wohl das ich sterbe
• Author: Benjamin Schmolk, d. 1737
• Translator: Jane Borthwick (1853)
• Meter: L. M.
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1890
• Topic: Death and Eternity: Preparation for Death; Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
• Notes: Alternate tune: #212 or #446

Tune Information

• Name: MACCABAEUS
• Meter: L. M.
• Key: G Major
• Notes: Composer from index: From Handel, 1742