Unless stated otherwise, my source for hymn texts and tunes is The Lutheran Service Book.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

LSB #622 "Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared"

Biblical citations in the hymnal:  1 Corinthians 11:23-28, 1 Corinthians 10:16, Matthew 11:28-29

1 Corinthians 11:23-28:  "23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.'  25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.'  26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

"27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.  28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup."

1 Corinthians 10:16:  "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?  The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?"

Matthew 11:28-29:  "28 'Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'"

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The text is public domain:
Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared
This feast for our salvation;
It is Your body and Your blood,
And at Your invitation
As weary souls, with sin oppressed,
We come to You for needed rest,
For comfort, and for pardon.
Although You did to heav'n ascend,
Where angel hosts are dwelling,
And in Your presence they behold
Your glory, all excelling,
And though Your people shall not see
Your glory and Your majesty
Till dawns the judgement morning,
Yet, Savior, You are not confined
To any habitation;
But You are present even now
Here with Your congregation.
Firm as a rock this truth shall stand,
Unmoved by any daring hand
Or subtle craft and cunning.
We eat this bread and drink this cup,
Your precious Word believing
That Your true body and Your blood
Our lips and here receiving.
This Word remains forever true,
All things are possible with You,
For You are Lord Almighty.
Though reason cannot understand,
Yet faith this truth embraces:
Your body, Lord, is even now
At once in many place.
I leave to You how this can be;
Your Word alone suffices me;
I trust its truth unfailing.
Lord, I believe what You have said;
Help me when doubts assail me.
Remember that I am but dust,
And let my faith not fail me.
Your supper in this vale of tears
Refreshes me and stills my fears
And is my priceless treasure.
Grant that we worthily receive
Your supper, Lord, our Savior,
And, truly grieving for our sins,
May prove by our behavior
That we are thankful for Your grace
And day by day may run our race,
In holiness increasing.
For Your consoling supper, Lord,
Be praised throughout all ages!
Preserve it, for in ev'ry place
The world against it rages.
Grant that this sacrament may be
A blessèd comfort unto me
When living and when dying.
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The two passages from 1 Corinthians are the main sources for the hymn.  They appear in the first, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth verses.  The seventh verse in particular ("Grant that we worthily receive / Your supper, Lord...") is drawn from 1 Corinthians 11:27-28.

The rest from Matthew 11:29-30 is mentioned in the first verse:  "As weary souls, with sin oppressed, / We come to You for needed rest, / For comfort, and for pardon."

"All things are possible with You" in the fourth verse seems to come from Matthew 19:26:  "But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'"

"Remember that I am but dust" in the sixth verse could refer either to Genesis 3:19 ("'By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.'") or Ecclesiastes 3:20 ("All go to one place.  All are from the dust, and to dust all return.").

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The version in Lutheran Worship is a different translation.  Where the LSB version has first person plural pronouns ("Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared / This feast for our salvation" and "We come to You for needed rest") the LW version has first person singular pronouns ("Lord Jesus Christ, you have prepared / This feast for my salvation" and "I come to you for needed rest").  While the plurals make more sense in the context of congregational singing, the singular illustrates a more personal relationship between the individual singer and God.  (The LSB version isn't very consistent, though; it flips between singular and plural pronouns throughout the verses.)

The first verse of the LSB version ends with the lines "We come to You for needed rest, / For comfort, and for pardon."  In the LW version, these lines are "I come to you for needed rest; / I need your peace, your pardon."  To some degree, the alliteration of "peace" and "pardon" illustrates the perfection of God's gifts (James 1:17).