In This World of Want and Hunger

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

Inspiration: Ecclesiastes 1:2, 14; 3:19; Psalm 49; Ephesians 2:1–22; Ephesians 4:3–6; 1 Corinthians 10:17; Galatians 3:26–29; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Romans 10:4
Meter: 87 87 D
Text: © 2024
Tune: Jefferson 🔊
Music: Southern Harmony, New Haven, 1835

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In this world of thirst and hunger
Men still strive though they be dead.
Prize e’er goes unto the stronger
One, and to the weaker dread.
And the bane of this vain striving
Shall not cease until earth’s end—
Man his neighbor e’er depriving
As they death-wardly both wend.

This world does indeed give treasures
T’ev’ryone who seeks its way;
So man’s heart lusts for its pleasures,
Being held fast in Satan’s sway.
Thus by nature, dead, corrupted,
We are each a child of wrath,
Working vainly, interrupted
Only by our dying breath.

To this sin-filled, dying, broken
World comes Christ, our God and Lord.
He fulfills all that was spoken,
Ere that time, within His Word.
All God’s Law with its faultfinding
In Christ Jesus meets its end;
Ev’ry promise meetly finding
In Christ its “Yes” and “Amen!”

“Here I am,” says He, “to ransom
Ev’ry sinner with My blood.
These I rescue to present them
As one people unto God.”
Thus our war with God is ended
In Christ’s flesh at Calv’ry’s cross;
Thus the rift ‘tween men is mended,
Healed in Him, who paid the cost.

Through the Font there’s no division—
Knit, by faith, to Christ, our Head;
We—one Body—have true union
By Christ’s flesh eat’n in the bread.
We’ve one Lord; We’re one in the Spirit;
We are all true sons of God.
Thus, made one, we life inherit
With the blessèd Triune God.