Hymn Desk
Hymn Texts /

I Greet Thee Who My Sure Redeemer Art

I greet thee who my sure Redeemer art

The theology of this text is thoroughly Christocentric, addressing Christ directly as Redeemer, King, Life, and source of gentleness — a Reformed instinct that is entirely at home in Lutheran worship. The movement from personal trust ('my sure Redeemer') to communal petition ('grant to us,' 'make us calm') mirrors the Lutheran understanding of faith as both personal reception of grace and communal life in the body of Christ. The fifth stanza's confession that 'our hope is in no other' is a compressed statement of sola Christus, the exclusive reliance on Christ that both traditions affirm. The Law element is implicit in the acknowledgment of need and weakness; the Gospel is the steady proclamation that Christ is sufficient for every need named.

History & Background

This text has been attributed to John Calvin (1509-1564) and the Geneva Psalter tradition since at least the 16th century, though scholars debate whether Calvin himself composed it or whether it emerged from his circle in Geneva around 1545. It appears in the Strasbourg and Genevan Psalter traditions and was translated into English in the 19th century, typically set to the tune TOULON (also known as OLD 124TH). The text reflects the Reformed theological priorities of the Genevan Reformation: Christ as the sole ground of trust, the Kingship of grace, and the unity of the believing community. Its five stanzas trace a complete arc from personal address to Christ as Redeemer through petition for grace, strength, gentleness, and peace. In Lutheran hymnody the text entered through ecumenical exchanges between the Reformed and Lutheran traditions, and it appears in ELW and other Lutheran hymnals as a General hymn. The tune TOULON gives it a stately, processional character suited to Lent and ordinary time. Its address to Christ in the second person creates an intimacy that distinguishes it from more purely doxological office hymns, making it particularly suitable for communion preparation and for times of stress or doubt in the congregation's life.

Hymnal Appearances

  • Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 832
  • Glory to God — 624
  • The Hymnal 1982 — REC

Bulletin Note

Attributed to the Geneva Psalter tradition (c.1545). Tune: TOULON (Old 124th). Translated into English in the 19th century.

Preaching Connection

When every human support has proven inadequate, the hymn's quiet confidence — 'I greet thee who my sure Redeemer art' — names the one foundation that does not shift.

Catechism & Confessional Connections

Themes

Christ as Redeemer trust King of grace life in Christ unity peace Lent

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