"If God Himself Be for Me"

                   by Paul Gerhardt, 1607-1676

                                   Text From:

                       THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL

        (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1941)







        1. If God Himself be for me,

        I may a host defy;

        For when I pray, before me

        My foes, confounded, fly.

        If Christ, my Head and Master,

        Befriend me from above,

        What foe or what disaster

        Can drive me from His love?



        2. This I believe, yea, rather,

        Of this I make my boast,

        That God is my dear Father,

        The Friend who loves me most,

        And that, whate'er betide me,

        My Savior is at hand

        Through stormy seas to guide me

        And bring me safe to land.



        3. I build on this foundation,

        That Jesus and His blood

        Alone are my salvation,

        The true, eternal good.

        Without Him all that pleases

        Is valueless on earth;

        The gifts I owe to Jesus

        Alone my love are worth.



        4. My Jesus is my Splendor,

        My Sun, my Light, alone;

        Were He not my Defender

        Before God's awe-full throne,

        I never should find favor

        And mercy in His sight,

        But be destroyed forever

        As darkness by the light.



        5. He canceled my offenses,

        Delivered me from death;

        He is the Lord who cleanses

        My soul from sin through faith.

        In Him I can be cheerful,

        Bold, and undaunted aye;

        In Him I am not fearful

        Of God's great Judgment Day.



        6. Naught, naught, can now condemn me

        Nor set my hope aside;

        Now hell no more can claim me,

        Its fury I deride.

        No sentence e'er reproves me,

        No ill destroys my peace;

        For Christ, my Savior, loves me

        And shields me with His grace.



        7. His Spirit in me dwelleth,

        And o'er my mind He reigns.

        All sorrow He dispelleth

        And soothes away all pains.

        He crowns His work with blessing

        And helpeth me to cry,

        "My Father!" without ceasing,

        To Him who dwells on high.



        8. And when my soul is lying

        Weak, trembling, and opprest,

        He pleads with groans and sighing

        That cannot be exprest;

        But God's quick eye discerns them,

        Although they give no sound,

        And into language turns them

        E'en in the heart's deep ground.



        9. To mine His Spirit speaketh

        Sweet word of holy cheer,

        How God to him that seeketh

        For rest is always near

        And how He hath erected

        A city fair and new,

        Where what our faith expected

        We evermore shall view.



        10. In yonder home doth flourish

        My heritage, my lot;

        Though here I die and perish,

        My heaven shall fail me not.

        Though care my life oft saddens

        And causeth tears to flow,

        The light of Jesus gladdens

        And sweetens every woe.



        11. Who clings with resolution

        To Him whom Satan hates

        Must look for persecution;

        For him the burden waits

        Of mockery, shame, and losses,

        Heaped on his blameless head;

        A thousand plagues and crosses

        Will be his daily bread.



        12. From me this is not hidden,

        Yet I am not afraid;

        I leave my cares, as bidden,

        To whom my vows were paid.

        Though life and limb it cost me

        And everything I won,

        Unshaken shall I trust Thee

        And cleave to Thee alone.



        13. Though earth be rent asunder,

        Thou'rt mine eternally;

        Not fire nor sword nor thunder

        Shall sever me from Thee;

        Not hunger, thirst, nor danger,

        Not pain nor poverty

        Nor mighty princes' anger

        Shall ever hinder me.



        14. No angel and no gladness,

        No throne, no pomp, no show,

        No love, no hate, no sadness,

        No pain, no depth of woe,

        No scheme of man's contrivance,

        However small or great,

        Shall draw me from Thy guidance

        Nor from Thee separate.



        15. My heart for joy is springing

        And can no more be sad,

        'Tis full of mirth and singing,

        Sees naught but sunshine glad.

        The Sun that cheers my spirit

        Is Jesus Christ, my King;

        That which I shall inherit

        Makes me rejoice and sing.



        


        Notes:

        Hymn #528 from _The Lutheran Hymnal_

        Text: Rom. 8:31-39

        Author: Paul Gerhardt

        Translated by: based on Richard Massie, 1857

        Titled: Ist Gott fuer mich, so trete

        Composer: Melckior Teschner, 1613

        Tune: Valet will ich dir geben