Scripture Verse

Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother?…Jesus answered I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21–22

Introduction

portrait
Samuel Wesley (1810–1876)

Words: Ro­bert E. Smith, 1990. First pub­lished in the Lu­ther­an Di­gest, 1991.

Music: Au­re­lia Sam­uel S. Wes­ley, in A Se­lect­ion of Psalms and Hymns, by Charles Kem­ble (Lon­don: John F. Shaw, 1864), num­ber 122 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Lyrics

Remember Christ, our Sav­ior
Who paid the debts you owed
To God the heav’n­ly Fa­ther
And to you mer­cy showed.
When oth­ers sin against you
Be rea­dy to for­give.
Since you have been for­giv­en
With them in peace now live.

Go first to find your bro­ther,
Your sis­ter or your friend.
Do not re­veal to oth­ers
The hurt you need to mend.
Confront in hum­ble spir­it
The one whose sin caused pain
That he might seek for­give­ness
And you a friend re­gain.

When bit­ter an­ger tempts you
To nurse your brok­en heart
With brood­ing thoughts of hat­red
And vows of ven­geance start.
Pray to the Lord of Par­don
For pow­er to re­lease
Each self­ish act against you
That rage might in you cease.

O Fa­ther, Son, and Spir­it,
O pa­tient Tri­ni­ty,
Who lifts from us sin’s bur­den
And from its debt sets free.
Grant us the will to par­don
All those who us of­fend
That we might en­ter Hea­ven
With them when ag­es end.