Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I wrote this hymn with two men in mind. First, my father, Pr. Rolf Preus, who was my pastor who absolved me in the divine service throughout my youth and taught me what the absolution is; second, my first father confessor, Pr. David Kind.

Thank God for His faithful ministers.

The tune is Ich Sterbe Täglich (I Come, O Savior to Thy Table) until someone writes something better.

1. Come, you who feel sin’s heavy burden,
   For Christ’s ambassador is here.
   Receive from him your Savior’s pardon,
   That covers shame and ends all fear.
   Lord, may Your absolution free
   Give to my conscience liberty.
2. I come, I know I am a sinner,
   I have not kept God’s just commands;
   I come, of death and hell a winner,
   To see again Christ’s piercéd hands.
   Lord, may Your absolution free
   Give to my conscience liberty.
3. The Lord, who by his incarnation
   Now clothes himself in flesh and blood,
   Has by his death for my salvation
   Fulfilled for me the Law of God.
   Lord, may Your absolution free
   Give to my conscience liberty.
4. I come, because the Gospel calls me,
   My Shepherd seeks me with his voice;
   If my condition still appalls me,
   My Lord still bids my heart rejoice.
   Lord, may Your absolution free
   Give to my conscience liberty.
5. The Lord, who by his resurrection
   Declares the world all justified,
   Gives by His Gospel strong protection
   From every sin I fell inside.
   Lord, may Your absolution free
   Give to my conscience liberty.
6. My heart, don’t doubt the words here spoken!
   This man is Christ’s own instrument;
   Nor can the Scripture’s words be broken,
   Christ sends them just as He was sent.
   Lord, may Your absolution free
   Give to my conscience liberty.
7. I will not doubt, I am forgiven
   By Christ’s own absolution here,
   And now before my God in heaven
   I stand by faith righteous and pure.
   Lord, may Your absolution free
   Give to my conscience liberty.
8. Take not from me Your Holy Spirit!
   May I Your constant comfort see,
   That I may here adorn Your merit
   With good works that You work in me.
   Lord, may Your absolution free
   Give to my conscience liberty.

Hymn copyright (c) 2012 Pastor Mark Preus. It may be reproduced for devotional and worship purposes. Please include “hymn by Pastor Mark Preus” when reproducing it.

Read 2133 times