"Jesus Christ, My Sure Defense"
                            by unknown author, 1653
              Translated based on Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878
                                  Text From:
                      THE HANDBOOK TO THE LUTHERAN HYMNAL
              (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1942)p.155



        1. Jesus Christ, my sure Defense
        And my Savior, ever Iiveth;
        Knowing this, my confidence
        Rests upon the hope it giveth
        Though the night of death be fraught
        Still with many an anxious thought.
        
        2. Jesus, my Redeemer, lives;
        I, too, unto life shall waken.
        Endless joy my Savior gives;
        Shall my courage, then, be shaken?
        Shall I fear, or could the Head
        Rise and leave His members dead?

        3. Nay, too closely am I bound
        Unto Him by hope forever;
        Faith's strong hand the Rock hath found,
        Grasped it, and will leave it never;
        Even death now cannot part
        From its Lord the trusting heart.
        
        4. I am flesh and must return
        Unto dust, whence I am taken;
        But by faith I now discern
        That from death I shall awaken
        With my Savior to abide
        In His glory, at His side.
        
        5. Glorified, I shall anew
        With this flesh then be enshrouded;
        In this body I shall view
        God, my Lord, with eyes unclouded;
        In this flesh I then shall see
        Jesus Christ eternally.
        
        6. Then these eyes my Lord shall know,
        My Redeemer and my Brother;
        In His love my soul shall glow,--
        I myself, and not another!
        Then the weakness I feel here
        Shall forever disappear.
        
        7. They who sorrow here and moan
        There in gladness shall be reigning;
        Earthly here the seed is sown,
        There immortal life attaining.
        Here our sinful bodies die,
        Glorified to dwell on high.
        
        8. Then take comfort and rejoice,
        For His members Christ will cherish.
        Fear not, they will hear His voice;
        Dying, they shall never perish;
        For the very grave is stirred
        When the trumpet's blast is heard.
        
        9. Laugh to scorn the gloomy grave
        And at death no longer tremble;
        He, the Lord, who came to save
        Will at last His own assemble.
        They will go their Lord to meet,
        Treading death beneath their feet.
        
        10. Oh, then, draw away your hearts
        Now from pleasures base and hollow.
        There to share what He imparts,
        Here His footsteps ye must follow.
        Fix your hearts beyond the skies,
        Whether ye yourselves would rise.
        
        

        Notes:
        Hymn #206 from _The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal_
        Text: 1 Cor. 15:35 ff.
        Author: unknown author, 1653
        Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863
        Titled: "Jesus, meine Zuversicht"
        Composer: Johann Crueger, 1653
        Tune: "Jesus, meine Zuversicht"
        

        

Converted to HTML by Nelson Chin for the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.