THE BONDS OF CHRIST

Hallgrim Petursson (1614-1674)
7.7.7.7.7.7
Jesus in Gethsemane
Bowed with mortal strife I see:
Conscience stings me, for I know
'Twas my sin constrained Him so:
All that weight of agony
God's Son underwent for me.
Lo! my sin doth heavier lie
E'en than earth and sea and sky:
Jesus in His Father's name
Bears this universal frame;
Yet the Word of God falls low,
When He bears sin's weight of woe.
Thus Thou givest me, Lord, Thy peace;
Comfort which can never cease:
Greater that paid ransom's worth
Unto God than heaven and earth:
By Thine agony I win
Certain pardon for my sin.
Hallgrim Petursson (1614-1674)
8.6.8.6 D
Jesus, the Son of God, was bound
That I might go forth free;
He, chafed with cruel fetters, found
Unbounded grace for me:
Around His wrists the cords of pain
Harsh, agonizing, lay:
From me in that dread hour sin's chain
Unfastened fell away.
Lord, let the bonds that bound Thee hold
Me bound in bondage pure,
Kept mid temptations manifold,
Shut from the world's allure;
That so my will, untrammelled, free,
Whiles here I dwell below,
May aye Thy ready servant be.
This boon, dear Lord, bestow!