A hymn by Samuel Medley, a Baptist pastor as collected in William Gadsby's hymnal. I take this hymn as a prayer. If love and grace be not effectual, I shall not make it. May love cause me to make it to the end.
"Love Me to the End"
A beggar poor, at mercy’s door,
Lies such a wretch as I;
Thou know’st my need is great indeed,
Lord hear me when I cry.
With guilt beset and deep in debt,
For pardon Lord I pray;
O let Thy love sufficient prove,
To take my sins away,
A wicked heart is no small part,
Of my distress and shame;
Let sovereign grace its crimes efface,
Through Jesus’ blessed name.
My darkened mind I daily find,
Is prone to go astray;
Lord on it shine with light divine,
And guide it in Thy way.
My stubborn will opposes still,
Thy wise and holy hand;
Thy Spirit send to make it bend,
To Thy supreme command.
Affections wild by sin defiled,
Oft hurry me away;
Lord bring them home nor let them roam,
From Christ the Living Way.
Before Thy face I’ve told my case;
Lord help and mercy send;
Pity my soul and make me whole,
And love me to the end.
Lies such a wretch as I;
Thou know’st my need is great indeed,
Lord hear me when I cry.
With guilt beset and deep in debt,
For pardon Lord I pray;
O let Thy love sufficient prove,
To take my sins away,
A wicked heart is no small part,
Of my distress and shame;
Let sovereign grace its crimes efface,
Through Jesus’ blessed name.
My darkened mind I daily find,
Is prone to go astray;
Lord on it shine with light divine,
And guide it in Thy way.
My stubborn will opposes still,
Thy wise and holy hand;
Thy Spirit send to make it bend,
To Thy supreme command.
Affections wild by sin defiled,
Oft hurry me away;
Lord bring them home nor let them roam,
From Christ the Living Way.
Before Thy face I’ve told my case;
Lord help and mercy send;
Pity my soul and make me whole,
And love me to the end.
3 comments:
Barring the Rampant Calvinism (which is probably the reason you love it) I really like this hymn, it's really authentic. A good prayer for sure.
Andrew: you speak as if there is something wrong with rampant Calvanism? ;-)
I, too, enjoy the hymn. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks. Though it is at least Augustinian (a good Lutheran could probably sing it too), I enjoy hymns that call on God's power while realizing human weakness. I only feel worse when singing hymns that talk about how great I am and how much I'm going to do for God, because that is not me. I know who I am:
A beggar poor, at mercy’s door,
Lies such a wretch as I;
Thou know’st my need is great indeed,
Lord hear me when I cry.
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