God Knows When He Will Bring Me

Tune: Von Gott Will Ich Nicht Lassen
Recueil de plussieurs chansons, Lyons, 1557, alt.
Lutheran Service Book 713
Meter: 76 76 67 76
Text: Aaron T. Fenker, © 2019
Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

God knows when He will bring me
Through death unto His side.
When death, at last, will sting me,
In Him I will confide.
It’s true and not a lie:
His Son from death has bounded
So I won’t be confounded
Whenever I may die!

This truth e’er stands unshaken,
Dispelling dread and doubt:
Christ did from death awaken
And put that foe to rout.
Why ever should I fear?
My Jesus is now living.
What’s more, He is life-giving.
At death I laugh and jeer!

Though death one day will gain me,
Though grave will do its worst,
Death’s chains won’t e’er restrain me,
My grave’s vault shall be burst.
Christ’s empty tomb I’ll share
For He Himself baptized me,
And so this shall be prized me:
My grave once filled is bare!

When suff’ring, pain, and sickness
Shall muster to destroy,
With trag’dy, age, or weakness—
Whate’er death may employ—
Lord Jesus, please be near!
When breathing turns to sighing,
When life gives way to dying,
Give peace and still my fear!

Christ’s peace-filled promise places
A pall o’er death’s dark vale,
And all my fear erases
For He can never fail:
“Since I live, you’ll live, too.
None from My hand can take you.
From death I shall awake you.
I give My Word to you.”

Thus I shall live unfearing
Believing His sure Word,
And, though my death is nearing,
I trust in Life, my Lord.
His Word is always true:
Behold, His grave is empty,
And so His Words aren’t empty!
What He says He will do.

I yearn for You to take me
To You upon that Day,
When from my death You’ll wake me
And wipe my tears away.
On that eternal day,
To You, My Resurrection,
My Life, and my Protection,
I’ll raise a joyful lay!