My Faith Looks Up to Thee
My Faith Looks Up to Thee is a hymn text. Found in elw 759, lbw 479, lsb 702, lw 378. Sung to OLIVET.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 759
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 479
- Lutheran Service Book — 702
- Lutheran Worship — 378
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 394
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: acknowledgment of sin and guilt (St. 1) → plea for Christ's transformative grace and love (St. 2) → petition for divine guidance through earthly trials (St. 3) → assurance of salvation at death (St. 4)
Overview
Written by a 22-year-old American teacher, later a Congregationalist pastor, in a personal notebook. Faith looks to the Lamb of Calvary for forgiveness and total belonging (st. 1), asks for strength and a love that answers his death (st. 2), guidance through life's maze (st. 3), and safe passage through death (st. 4). It is a prayer of faith in four stages: forgiveness, love, guidance, death.
Central theme: Faith looking to the crucified Christ for forgiveness, strength, guidance, and safe passage through death
Structure
Forgiveness (1); love (2); guidance (3); death (4).
Law & Gospel Shape
Gospel prayer; guilt, faintness, griefs, and fear are named needs.
Confessional Connections
Faith as looking to Christ (Heb 12:2); faith receives forgiveness (AC IV); love as fruit (AC VI).
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Lent; communion; confirmation; funerals.
Historical Notes
Palmer (1808-1887) wrote it in 1830; Lowell Mason composed OLIVET for it in 1832 and is said to have predicted Palmer would be best known for it.
About the Tune
OLIVET (Lowell Mason, 1832).
Scripture References
Eph 3:12 Heb 12:2 John 1:29 1 John 1:9 Isa 40:29 1 John 4:19 Ps 23:4 Rev 7:17
Stanza by Stanza
My faith looks to you, Lamb of Calvary, divine Savior; hear my prayer, take away all my guilt, and from today let me be wholly yours.
Faith 'looks up' to Christ — its object is outside itself (Heb 12:2, 'looking to Jesus'; John 3:14-15). 'Lamb of Calvary' and 'Savior divine' — his work and his person. 'Take all my guilt away' (John 1:29; 1 John 1:9). 'Wholly Thine' — the response of the forgiven.
- Scripture
- Heb 12:2, John 3:14-15, John 1:29, 1 John 1:9, Rom 14:8
- Imagery & language
- Looking up; Lamb of Calvary.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — forgiveness.
- Connection to previous
- Forgiveness.
May your grace strengthen my fainting heart and inspire zeal; as you died for me, may my love for you be pure, warm, constant — a living fire.
Grace strengthens (Isa 40:29; 2 Cor 12:9). 'As Thou hast died for me' — the motive for love is Christ's prior love (1 John 4:19; 2 Cor 5:14-15). 'A living fire' (Rom 12:11, 'fervent in spirit').
- Scripture
- Isa 40:29, 2 Cor 12:9, 1 John 4:19, 2 Cor 5:14-15, Rom 12:11
- Imagery & language
- Fainting heart; living fire.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel and sanctification.
- Connection to previous
- Love.
While I walk life's dark maze surrounded by griefs, be my guide; turn darkness to day, wipe away tears, and never let me stray from you.
Life as a confusing maze (Prov 20:24). Christ as guide (Ps 48:14; John 16:13). 'Wipe sorrow's tears away' (Rev 7:17). Perseverance: 'Nor let me ever stray' (Jude 24).
- Scripture
- Prov 20:24, Ps 48:14, Ps 139:11-12, Rev 7:17, Jude 24
- Imagery & language
- Dark maze; tears.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — guidance and comfort.
- Connection to previous
- Guidance.
When life's brief dream ends and death's cold stream rolls over me, blessed Savior, remove fear and distrust and carry me safely to heaven as a ransomed soul.
Death as a cold river (like the Jordan in 'Guide Me'). 'Fear and distrust remove' — even at the end faith needs Christ's help. 'A ransomed soul' (Mark 10:45; 1 Pet 1:18-19) — the believer's identity at death rests on the ransom, not on achievement.
- Scripture
- Ps 23:4, Josh 3:15-17, Mark 10:45, 1 Pet 1:18-19, Heb 2:15
- Imagery & language
- Transient dream; cold stream; ransomed soul.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — safe passage through death.
- Connection to previous
- Death.