1 If God himself be for me,
I may a host defy;
for when I pray, before me
my foes, confounded, fly.
If Christ, my head and master,
befriend me from above,
what foe or what disaster
can drive me from his love?
2 This I believe, yea rather,
of 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
thro' 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,
my true, eternal good.
Without him all that pleases
is valueless on earth;
the gifts I have from Jesus
alone have priceless worth.
4 He canceled my offenses,
delivered me from death;
he is the Lord who cleanses
my soul from sin through faith.
In him I can be cheerful,
courageous on my way;
in him I am not fearful
of God's great Judgment Day.
5 Now no one can condemn me
or set my hope aside;
now hell no more can claim me,
its fury I deride.
No sentence now reproves me,
no guilt destroys my peace,
for Christ, my Savior, loves me
and shields me with his grace.
6 No danger, thirst, or hunger,
no pain or poverty,
no earthly tyrant's anger
shall ever vanquish me.
Though earth should break asunder,
you are my Savior true;
no fire or sword or thunder
shall sever me from you.
7 My heart with joy is springing
and can no more be sad;
my soul is filled with singing,
see only sunshine glad.
The sun that cheers my spirit
is Jesus Christ, my King;
the heav'n I shall inherit
makes me rejoice and sing.
Source: Christian Worship: Hymnal #819
Paul Gerhardt (b. Gräfenheinichen, Saxony, Germany, 1607; d. Lubben, Germany, 1676), famous author of Lutheran evangelical hymns, studied theology and hymnody at the University of Wittenberg and then was a tutor in Berlin, where he became friends with Johann Crüger. He served the Lutheran parish of Mittenwalde near Berlin (1651-1657) and the great St. Nicholas' Church in Berlin (1657-1666). Friederich William, the Calvinist elector, had issued an edict that forbade the various Protestant groups to fight each other. Although Gerhardt did not want strife between the churches, he refused to comply with the edict because he thought it opposed the Lutheran "Formula of Concord," which condemned some Calvinist doctrines. Consequently, he was r… Go to person page >
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