Biblical citations in the hymnal: Psalm 51:3-11, 17; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Isaiah 59:12; Psalm 32:5
Psalm 51:3-11: "3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgement. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
"7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me."
Psalm 51:17: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
2 Corinthians 5:18-20: "18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
Isaiah 59:12: "For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; for our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities"
Psalm 32:5: "I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin."
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The text is public domain:
Lord, to You I make confession:I have sinned and gone astray,I have multiplied transgression,Chosen for myself my way.Led by You to see my errors,Lord, I tremble at Your terrors.
Yet, though conscience' voice appall me,Father, I will seek Your face;Though Your child I dare not call me,Yet receive me in Your grace.Do not for my sins forsake me;Let Your wrath not overtake me.
For Your Son has suffered for me,Giv'n Himself to rescue me,Died to save me and restore me,Reconciled and set me free.Jesus' cross alone can vanquishThese dark fears and soothe this anguish.
Lord, on You I cast my burden -Sink it in the deepest sea!Let me know Your gracious pardon,Cleanse me from iniquity.Let Your Spirit leave me never;Make me only Yours forever.
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The passages from the Psalms and from Isaiah are the primary basis of the hymn. Since they're fairly similar, it's difficult to tell where or if the hymn is drawing from one more than the others. There are a couple phrases that can be traced, though. The line "I have multiplied transgression" in the first verse comes from Isaiah 59:12 ("our transgressions are multiplied"). The lines "Cleanse me from iniquity. / Let Your Spirit leave me never" in the last verse come from Psalm 51:10-11. (Where The Lutheran Service Book has "Cleanse me from iniquity," Lutheran Worship has "Wash me, make me white as snow," which is taken from Psalm 51:7.)
The other cited passage, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, appears in the third verse.
The line "Though Your child I dare not call me" in the second verse seems to come from the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Luke 15:21: "'And the son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son."'"
