Hymn for the Week

Hello all! It's rather a good thing that Immortal, Invisible is an easy hymn to memorize. Since Thursday my brothers and I have been visiting friends in NE...having fun and trying not to catch the nasty flu bug that's going around. Hopefully I can post more (including pictures?) later, but highlights so far have included book-shopping with my sis three days in a row (I narrowly escaped telling one storekeeper that I was here visiting my sister) and acquiring about a dozen new books, coffee, reading and listening to music, dinner in the treehouse, singing together, and such.

Anyway, back to hymns. Immortal, Invisible is memorized and our next hymn is Ah, Holy Jesus--another one that we're doing for orchestra. (Yes, I confess it; there's a pattern here. I'm memorizing a lot of the music we are playing for our upcoming concerts.) It's good to think on as Eastertide approaches. Unless you are from more of a Reformed or Lutheran background this probably won't be familiar, but I would encourage you to get to know it anyway. The melody should be on the Cyber Hymnal link above.

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast Thou offended,
That man to judge Thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by Thine own rejected,
O most afflicted.

Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon Thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone Thee.
’Twas I, Lord, Jesus, I it was denied Thee!
I crucified Thee.

Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
The slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered;
For man’s atonement, while he nothing heedeth,
God intercedeth.

For me, kind Jesus, was Thy incarnation,
Thy mortal sorrow, and Thy life’s oblation;
Thy death of anguish and Thy bitter passion,
For my salvation.

Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay Thee,
I do adore Thee, and will ever pray Thee,
Think on Thy pity and Thy love unswerving,
Not my deserving.