Scripture Verse

God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Introduction

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Christian I. Latrobe (1758–1836)

Words: From the La­tin Je­sus Chris­tus, Nos­tra Sal­us The ver­sion be­low was trans­lat­ed by Chris­tian I. La­trobe in the Mo­ra­vi­an Hymn Book, 1789, num­ber 557.

Music: Red­head Ri­chard Red­head, Church Hymn Tunes, An­cient and Mo­dern (Lon­don: 1853) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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Richard Redhead (1820–1901)

This hymn has been as­cribed to [John] Hus, and is in­clud­ed in the Mon­u­men­tor­um Jo­an­nis Hus al­te­ra pars, Nürn­berg, 1558, but his au­thor­ship is doubt­ful.

Wac­ker­na­gel, vol i. gives three forms, No. 367, in 10 st. from a Mun­ich Ms. of the 15th cent; No. 369 from Lei­sen­tritt’s G. B. (R. C.), 1584, in 7 st. The last text is al­so in Da­ni­el, ii. 370.

In his Can­ti­on­es Bo­hem­i­cae, Leip­zig, 1886, pre­face, pp. 22, 31, 43. & c., G. M. Dreves dis­cuss­es the au­thor­ship, and cites it as in 10 st., in a MS. cir. 1410, be­long­ing to the Ab­bey of Hoh­en­furth [now Vyš­ší Brod, Czech­ia] in a Grad­u­al, cir. 1420, in the Bo­he­mi­an Mu­se­um at Prag, &c.

Julian, p. 598

Lyrics

To avert from men God’s wrath,
Jesus suffered in our stead;
By an ignominious death
He a full atonement made;
And by His most precious blood
Brought us, sinners, nigh to God.

Hither each afflicted soul
May repair, though filled with grief;
To the sick, not to the whole,
The Physician brings relief;
Fear not, therefore, but draw nigh;
Christ will all your wants supply.

But examine first your case,
Whether you be in the faith;
Do you long for pardoning grace?
Is your only hope His death?
Then, howe’er your soul’s oppressed,
Come, you are a worthy guest.

He who Je­sus’ mercy knows
Is from wrath and envy freed.
Love unto each other shows
That we are His flock indeed;
Thus we may in all our ways
Show forth our Re­deem­er’s praise.