O Jesus Blessed Lord to Thee
O Jesus, blessed Lord, to Thee
The hymn expresses profound Lutheran gratitude for Christ's atoning sacrifice and exemplifies the devotional spirituality of post-Reformation German Protestantism. It balances law and gospel by acknowledging human unworthiness before God's unspeakable gift of redemption.
History & Background
Martin Behm composed this German hymn in the early 17th century as a meditation on Christ's passion and sacrifice. Catherine Winkworth translated it into English in 1863, and it entered Lutheran hymnals through her influential collection of German hymn translations.
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 220
- Lutheran Service Book — 632
- Lutheran Worship — 245
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 309
Translation
Bulletin Note
Martin Behm (1557–1622), German Lutheran pastor, composed this hymn during the post-Reformation flowering of German devotional hymnody. It remains a cornerstone of Lutheran eucharistic and penitential worship.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Lutheran dialectic of law and gospel: human unworthiness made luminous by the radical sufficiency of Christ's atoning love.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Second Article (Concerning Redemption) Small Catechism — The Apostles' Creed
Themes
Gratitude and thanksgiving Christ's passion and redemption Eucharistic devotion Meditation on Christ's suffering Christian response to grace