61. Gracious Lord, to Thee We Hold Us

1. Gracious Lord, to Thee we hold us;
In death Thy love did all enfold us
For Thou didst save us by Thy blood.
All we are to Thee we offer,
For all, O Lord, that Thou didst suffer,
Thy love is e’er our highest good!
Accept us as Thine own,
And bring before Thy throne
Thy children dear!
Let shine on us
The light of grace
From Thy benign and holy face.

2. We have not ourselves elected;
But Thou has us, O Lord, selected,
By grace, decreed eternally.
Lo, our strength is so unstable
That none to do Thy work are able,
Unless Thou strengthen mightily.
So break the stubborn will
That, humbled, we may still
Thy kingdom gain.
Through shame would we
Here follow Thee, -
An honor count it thus to be!

3. Lord, Thy works most great and holy
Have their beginning, small and lowly, -
How humble we must be toward Thee!
But Thou, Lord, wilt battle for us
And keep Thy guiding power o’er us;
Thy strength shall our reliance be.
The mustard seed though small
Becomes a tree withal
Of mighty growth.
Lord, even so
Thy Church shall grow,
For Thou dost there Thy love bestow.