HYMNS ON THE PASSION

which can be used in the congregations during Lent

at the weekly service and on Days of Prayer

according to the custom of each place

[by Thomas Kingo]

[from the Gradual of 1699]

[Translation © Mark DeGarmeaux unless noted]

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Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary home page (ELH has 16 hymns by Thomas Kingo)

O come, let us worship (A Study in Lutheran Liturgy and Hymnody by M. DeGarmeaux) (107k)

The Path of Understanding -- The Development of Lectionaries and their use in the Lutheran Church (by the Rev. Alexander Ring)

The Potter's Field

PENGENE SOM JUDAS SLENGTE* [10]

tune: previous tune

 

1 Judas, now remorseful, told them

Of his sinful dread mistake

Of the price for which he sold Him

Full return he now did make.

Shameful hypocrites are they

For God's Son a price to pay

Such blood-money they will never

Use for any church endeavour.

 

2 Without fear to Judas making

Payment for betrayal done

Wrath upon them they are taking

By the blood of God's own Son.

God's own treasury they faint

With blood-money e'er to taint;

Never yet are they refraining

From themselves with God's blood staining.

 

3 Then their wicked council pleases

Thus to buy the potter's field

With the money paid for Jesus,

And agreement thus was sealed,

So that strangers too may have

Place to rest in lowly grave;

They may have no place in heaven

Yet on earth they rest are given.

 

4 O my Jesus, teach me ever

With my heart these depths to sound:

Though all heaven can hold Thee never,

Nor the whole world's widest bound,

With its jewels, gold, and worth,

Yet a simple plot of earth

O'er Thy flesh, O Jesus, setting

Let me never be forgetting.

 

5 But may I be ever learning

From the lowly potter's field

That this frame which I am wearing

And this body forth to yield

Never shall my boasting be

Earth's adornment over me

Gold and pearls and all that flashes

For I am but dust and ashes.

 

6 From earth's simple clay and ashes

I, like Adam once, was made.

As my Potter, Lord, Thou fashioned

All my members that Thou gave.

For Thy fingers fashioned me

In all ways so wondrously

So my earthly clay in story

Speaks of Thy almighty glory.

 

7 Once a stranger, yet God bore me;

Daily I remember well

That my parents all before me

Strangers were in Israel:

But we now a part may share

As God's child and blessed heir

Grafted into Christ by favor

And by Jesus' blood, dear Savior.

 

8 Every day we still are strangers,

Pilgrims on our journey there;

And we ever walk in dangers,

Pilgrim's clothing we do wear.

And when in the grave we're laid

All our splendour soon doth fade

Thanks, O Jesus, for Thy keeping

By Thy blood our restful sleeping.

 

9 Now with joy my heart is waking

While I in this body dwell

With each step that I am taking

That I yet may stand so well

In the refuge of my Lord

Fully as His child restored

Safely in His love supernal

I shall rest till life eternal

 

10 Jesus, grant that by Thy passion

As I wander through this land

I may walk with greatest caution

Thinking always on my end.

Grant me e'er a steadfast faith

When at last I face my death

And on Judgement Day restore me

Into Thy eternal glory.

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