A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth

1 A Lamb goes uncomplaining forth, The guilt of all men bearing; And laden with the sins of earth, None else the burden sharing! Goes patient on, grow weak and faint, To slaughter led without complaint, That spotless life to offer; Bears shame and stripes, and wounds and death, Anguish and mockery, and saith, "Willing all this I suffer."

2 This Lamb is Christ, the soul's great Friend, The Lamb of God, our Savior; Him God the Father chose to send To gain for us His favor. "Go forth, My Son," the Father saith, "And free men from the fear of death, From guilt and condemnation. The wrath and stripes are hard to bear, But by Thy Passion men shall share The fruit of Thy salvation."

3 "Yea, Father, yea, most willingly I'll bear what Thou commandest; My will conforms to Thy decree, I do what Thou demandest." O wondrous Love, what hast Thou done! The Father offers up His Son! The Son, content, descendeth! O Love, how strong Thou art to save! Thou beddest Him within the grave Whose word the mountains rendeth.

4 Thou lay'st Him, Love, upon the cross, With nails and spear Him bruising; Thou slay'st Him as a lamb, His loss from soul and body oozing; From body 'tis the crimson flood Of precious sacrificial blood From soul, the strength of anguish: My gain it is; sweet Lamb to Thee What can I give, whose love to me For me doth make Thee languish?

5 Lord, all my life I'll cleave to Thee, Thy love fore'er beholding, Thee ever, as Thou ever me, With loving arms enfolding. Yea, Thou shalt be my Beaconlight, To guide me safe through death's dark night. And cheer my heart in sorrow; Henceforth myself and all that's mine To Thee, my Savior, I consign, From whom all things I borrow.