"Lord, Help Us Ever to Retain"
                          by Ludwig Helmbold
           Translated by Matthias Loy, 1828-1915
                                 Text From:
     THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
        (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942),  p. 209



        1. Lord, help us ever to retain
        The Catechism's doctrine plain
        As Luther taught the Word of Truth
        In simple style to tender youth.

        2. Help us Thy holy Law to learn,
        To mourn our sin, and from it turn
        In faith to Thee and to Thy Son
        And Holy Spirit, Three in One.

        3. Hear us, dear Father, when we pray
        For needed help from day to day
        That as Thy children we may live,
        Whom Thou in Baptism didst receive.

        4. Lord, when we fall and sin doth stain,
        Absolve and lift us up again;
        And through the Sacrament increase
        Our faith till we depart in peace.

        

        Notes from _The Lutheran Hymnal_
        Hymn #288 from The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal
        Text: Ex. 20: 1-17
        Author: Ludwig Helmbold, 1594
        Translated by: Matthias Loy, 1880, alt.
        Titled: "Her Gott, erhalt uns fuer und fuer"
        Tune: "Herr Jesu Christ, mein's"
        1st Published in: _As Hymnodus Sacer_
        Town: Leipzig, 1625