Hymn Desk
Hymn Texts /

Come, Risen Lord

Come, risen Lord, and deign to be our guest

The hymn emphasizes Christ's sacrificial love and his real presence as guest and host in the Eucharist, central to Lutheran sacramental theology. It connects the Resurrection to the believer's experience of grace through the sacrament, reflecting Lutheran understanding of how Christ nourishes the faithful.

History & Background

Written by George Herbert, the poem appeared in his 1633 collection 'The Temple' and originally titled 'Love (III).' It became adapted as a eucharistic hymn in Lutheran and broader Protestant traditions, gaining prominence in 19th and 20th-century hymnals.

Hymnal Appearances

  • Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 312
  • The Hymnal 1982 — 305
  • Lutheran Book of Worship — 210
  • Lutheran Worship — 248

Bulletin Note

George Herbert (1633) wrote this hymn to capture the paradox of Eucharistic grace: the guest who becomes host, the sacrifice that becomes meal, the risen Christ who feeds the unworthy faithful at his table.

Preaching Connection

This hymn crystallizes the Law-Gospel tension perfectly: our awareness of unworthiness (the law that convicts) gives way to Christ's unreserved self-giving (the Gospel that saves), transforming sacramental encounter into an experience of costly grace.

Catechism & Confessional Connections

Themes

Eucharist/Holy Communion Resurrection of Christ Hospitality of Christ Thanksgiving Sanctification

Look Further