O Thou that Hear'st when Sinners Cry
O Thou that hear'st when sinners cry
This hymn emphasizes the Lutheran doctrine of justification by faith, presenting the sinner's desperate need for God's mercy and the assurance of forgiveness through prayer. It reflects the evangelical revival emphasis on personal conversion and the comfort of divine grace for the penitent conscience.
History & Background
Written by English Baptist minister John Parlour in the mid-18th century, this penitential hymn appeared in various English hymnal collections. It was included in The Lutheran Hymnal (1941) at number 325, representing the Protestant evangelical hymn tradition.
Hymnal Appearances
- Trinity Hymnal — 499
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 325
Bulletin Note
Written by John Parlour in 1750, this Common Meter hymn crystallizes evangelical revival piety, presenting prayer and confession as the sinner's direct access to God's grace through Christ's intercession.
Preaching Connection
This hymn amplifies the Gospel's response to the Law's conviction by insisting that God's hearing and mercy are not distant hopes but present realities for the penitent who cries out in faith.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Christological affirmation moving from Christ's cosmic victory, through his redemptive work and present intercession, to his universal dominion, and concluding with the ecclesiological union of believers in him
Themes
Repentance God's mercy Forgiveness of sins Contrition Prayer