Wherewith, O Lord, Shall I Draw Near?

Wherewith

O Lord

shall I draw near

And bow my­self before Thy face?

How in Thy pur­er eyes a­ppear?

What shall I bring to gain Thy grace?

Whoe’er to Thee them­selves ap­prove

Must take the path Thy­self has showed;

Justice pur­sue

and mer­cy love

And hum­bly walk by faith with God.

But though my life hence­forth be Thine

Present for past can ne’er atone;

Though I to Thee the whole re­sign

I on­ly give Thee back Thine own.

What have I then where­in to trust?

I no­thing have

I no­thing am;

Excluded is my ev­ery boast;

My glo­ry swal­lowed up in shame.

Guilty I stand be­fore Thy face;

On me I feel Thy wrath abide:

’Tis just the sen­tence should take place

’Tis just—but O

Thy Son hath died!

Jesus

the Lamb of God

hath bled

He bore our sins up­on the tree

Beneath our curse He bowed His head

’Tis fin­ished! He hath died for me!

For me I now be­lieve He died!

He made my ev­ery crime His own

Fully for me He sa­tis­fied:

Father

well pleased be­hold Thy Son.

He ev­er lives for me to pray;

He prays that I with Him may reign;

Amen to what my Lord doth say!

Jesu

Thou canst not pray in vain.