1 Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior,
turned away God's wrath forever;
by his bitter grief and woe
he saved us from the evil foe.
2 As his pledge of love undying,
he, this precious food supplying,
gives his body with the bread
and with the wine the blood he shed.
3 Jesus here himself is sharing;
take heed how you are preparing,
for if you do not believe,
judgment instead you shall receive.
4 Useless would be Jesus' passion
if salvation you could fashion.
Do not come if you suppose
you need not him who died and rose.
5 Christ says, "Come, all you that labor,
and receive my grace and favor;
those who feel no pain or ill
need no physician's help or skill."
6 Then hold fast with faith unshaken
that this food is to be taken
by the souls who are distressed,
by hearts that long for peace and rest.
7 Praise the Father, who from heaven
unto us such food has given
and, to mend what we have done,
gave into death his only Son.
8 If your heart this truth professes
and your mouth your sin confesses,
surely you will be his guest
and at his banquet ever blest.
Source: Christian Worship: Hymnal #659
[John Huss]
Jan Hus was born in Bohemia (part of the region, along with Moravia, we now call the Czech Republic), ca. 1370. He studied philosophy and theology at Prague University. Though only regarded as an average student, he received an undergraduate degree in 1396 and a Masters in 1398. In 1402 he was ordained as a priest in the Catholic Church and became rector and priest at Bethlehem Chapel. Hus lived in a time of great political and religious upheaval and to fully understand the man and his circumstances, some background is necessary. Domestic political turmoil was emerging in Bohemia and in the early 1400s the Catholic Church was enmeshed in the Great Schism in which three rival popes vied for control of the church. The schism l… Go to person page >
Luther, Martin, born at Eisleben, Nov. 10, 1483; entered the University of Erfurt, 1501 (B.A. 1502, M.A.. 1503); became an Augustinian monk, 1505; ordained priest, 1507; appointed Professor at the University of Wittenberg, 1508, and in 1512 D.D.; published his 95 Theses, 1517; and burnt the Papal Bull which had condemned them, 1520; attended the Diet of Worms, 1521; translated the Bible into German, 1521-34; and died at Eisleben, Feb. 18, 1546. The details of his life and of his work as a reformer are accessible to English readers in a great variety of forms. Luther had a huge influence on German hymnody.
i. Hymn Books.
1. Ellich cristlich lider Lobgesang un Psalm. Wittenberg, 1524. [Hamburg Library.] This contains 8 German h… Go to person page >
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