1. Let not such a thought e’er pain thee
   As that thou art cast away,
   But within God’s Word restrain thee
   That far otherwise doth say.
   E’en though thou unrighteous art,
   True and faithful is God’s heart.
   Hast thou death deserved forever?
   God’s appeased, despond thou never!

2. Thou art, as is ev’ry other,
   Tainted by the poison sin,
   That the Serpent, and our father
   Adam, by the fall, brought in.
   But if thou God’s voice dost hear,
   “Turn to Me, do good,” ne’er fear,
   Be of good cheer, He thy yearning
   Will regard, thy prayer ne’er spurning.

3. He is not a bear or lion
   Thirsting only for thy blood,
   Faithful is thy God in Zion,
   Gentle ever is His mood.
   God e’er as a Father feels,
   He’s afflicted by our ills,
   Our misfortune sorrow gives Him,
   And our dying ever grieves Him.

4. “Truly,” saith He, “as I’m living,
   I the death of none desire,
   But that men themselves upgiving,
   May be rescued from sin’s mire.”
   When a prodigal returns,
   God’s heart then with rapture burns,
   Wills that not the least one even
   Ever from His flock be driven.

5. Shepherd was so faithful never,
   Seeking sheep that go astray;
   Couldest thou God’s heart see ever
   How He cares for them alway,
   How it thirsts and sighs and burns,
   After him who from Him turns,
   From His people’s midst doth wander,
   Love would make thee weep and ponder.

6. God the good not only loveth
   Those who in His house now dwell,
   But His heart compassion moveth
   T’wards those whom the Prince of hell
   Hath enslaved, the cruel foe,
   Who men’s hearts with hate to glow
   Makes ’gainst Him, who when He ever
   Moves his foot, can make earth quiver.

7. Deep His love and most enduring,
   His desire is ever great,
   He is calling and alluring
   Us to enter heaven’s gate.
   When they come, whoe’er they be,
   Seeking now that liberty
   From the Devil’s fangs be given,
   Glad are all the hosts of heaven.

8. God and all those with Him dwelling
   ’Fore whom heav’n must hush its voice,
   When their Maker’s praise forth telling,
   O’er our penitence rejoice;
   But what has been done amiss
   Covered now and buried is,
   All offense to Him we’ve given,
   All, yea all, is now forgiven.

9. From no lake so much is gushing,
   No depth is so deep at all,
   With such force no stream is rushing,
   All compared with God is small;
   Naught is like His grace so great,
   That remits our mighty debt,
   That He ever throweth over
   All our lives e’en as a cover.

10. Soul, why art thou sad and dreary?
    Rest now and contented be!
    Why wilt thou thyself so weary
    When there is no need for thee?
    Though thy sins appear to thee
    Like a vast and shoreless sea,
    If with God’s heart thou compare them,
    ’Twill a trifle seem to bear them.

11. Could we myriad worlds discover
    All sunk in apostasy,
    Had the sins there o’er and over
    Every one been done by thee,
    Oh! still they were less by far
    Than the light of grace so clear
    Could on earth extinguish ever,
    God from greater can deliver.

12. Of such wondrous love and favor
    Open wide the door to me;
    Ev’rywhere and e’er, my Savior,
    Tasted be Thy grace by me.
    Love me, Lord! and let me be
    Nearer ever drawn to Thee,
    That I may embrace and love Thee,
    Nevermore to anger move Thee.

Weg, mein Herz, mit den Gedanken
Paul Gerhardt, 1653
Tr. John Kelly, Paul Gerhardt’s Spiritual Songs, 1867
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book, No. 506