Christ My Song - 1470
Turn, poor wanderer, ere the sentence - Turn again
(Carl Johann Philipp Spitta/Richard Massie/
Johannes Thomas Rüegg)
Turn again.
1. Turn, poor wanderer, ere the sentence
falls on thee which none can stay;
flee to Christ with deep repentance,
seek the Lord without delay.
As thou art, with all thy burden,
come, and he will grant thee pardon.
See, he comes to meet thee, sealing
with his own most holy word
pardon, blessing, strength, and healing;
turn, O turn thee to the Lord. PDF - Midi
2. Flee from worldly dissipation,
commune with thy heart, be still;
God shall by thy renovation
all thy best desires fulfill.
There a peaceful calm awaits thee
from the storm which agitates thee,
there shalt thou discern the warning
of the Spirit in thy breast,
pleading with thee, night and morning,
till he brings thee to thy rest.
3. Lay aside all needless terrors,
for thy Father's loving heart
offers pardon for thy errors,
balsam for thy keenest smart.
Look on him, whom thou hast wounded,
yet whose love hath so abounded,
that he suffered to redeem thee;
turn, O turn again, nor fear,
that thy Lord will yet condemn thee,
who esteemed thy soul so dear.
4. Drink in life with deep thanksgiving,
dwelling on this gracious theme:
God is patient and forgiving
and almighty to redeem;
not a grief, but he can feel it,
not a wound, but he can heal it;
he hath balm for every sorrow,
cleansing for the vilest sin;
O delay not till tomorrow
what thou canst this day begin.
5. Shake off all thy sloth and dullness,
linger not, nor take thine ease;
come from emptiness to fulness,
shadows to realities,
out of dimness into clearness,
out of distance into nearness!
Come away from sin and sorrow,
come to Christ without delay !
Put not off until tomorrow
what thy God will give today.
Richard Massie, Lyra Domestica I, 1863, 69-70.
Translated from the German Kehre wieder, kehre wieder - Kehre wieder!
of Carl Johann Philipp Spitta.