1. Lord Jesus Christ, my Life, my Light,
   My Strength by day, my Trust by night,
   On earth I’m but a passing guest
   And sorely with my sins oppressed.

2. Far off I see my fatherland,
   Where through Thy blood I hope to stand.
   But ere I reach that Paradise,
   A weary way before me lies.

3. My heart sinks at the journey’s length,
   My wasted flesh has little strength;
   My soul alone still cries in me:
   “Lord, take me home, take me to Thee!”

4. O let Thy suff’rings give me pow’r
   To meet the last and darkest hour!
   Thy blood-sweat cheer and quicken me,
   Thy bonds and fetters make me free.

5. The blows and stripes that fell on Thee
   Heal up the wounds of sin in me;
   Thy crown of thorns, Thy foes’ mad spite,
   Let be my glory and delight.

6. That thirst and bitter draught of Thine
   Cause me to bear with patience mine;
   Thy piercing cry uphold my soul
   When floods of anguish o’er me roll.

7. Let Thy five holy wounds for me
   Clefts in the rock forever be
   Where as a dove my soul can hide
   And safe from Satan’s rage abide.

8. And when my lips grow white and chill,
   Thy Spirit cry within me still
   And help my soul Thy heav’n to find
   When these poor eyes grow dark and blind.

9. And when my spirit flies away,
   Thy dying words shall be my stay.
   Let me depart with peaceful brow
   When I in death my head shall bow.

10. Thy cross shall be my staff in life,
    Thy holy grave my rest from strife;
    The winding-sheet that covered Thee,
    Oh, let it be a shroud for me!

11. Lord, in Thy nail-prints let me read
    That Thou to save me hast decreed
    And grant that in Thy opened side
    My troubled soul may ever hide.

12. Since Thou hast died, the Pure, the Just,
    I take my homeward way in trust.
    The gates of heav’n, Lord, open wide
    When here I may not more abide.

13. And when the last Great Day shall come
    And Thou, our Judge, shalt speak the doom,
    Let me with joy behold the light
    And set me then upon Thy right.

14. Renew this wasted flesh of mine
    That like the sun it there may shine
    Among the angels pure and bright,
    Yea, like Thyself in glorious light.

15. Ah, then I’ll have my heart’s desire,
    When, singing with the angels’ choir,
    Among the ransomed of Thy grace,
    Forever I’ll behold Thy face!

Herr/O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht
Martin Behm, 1610
Tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1858, 1863, alt.
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book, 1927, No. 195, alt.