3 We taste thee, oh, thou living Bread! And long to feast upon thee still; We drink of thee, the Fountain Head, And thirst our souls from thee to fill.
4 Our restless spirits yearn for thee, Where'er our changeful lot is cast; Glad, when thy gracious smile we see, Blest, when our faith can hold thee fast.
5 O Jesus! ever with us stay; Make all our moments calm and bright; Chase the dark night of sin away; Shed o'er the world thy holy light.
Lat., Bernard, of Clairvaux, 1140. Tr., Ray Palmer, 1833.
Bread of heaven, on thee we feed For thy flesh is meat indeed; Ever let our souls be fed With this true and living bread.
2 Vine of heaven, thy blood supplies This blest cup of sacrifice; Lord, thy wounds our healing give; To thy cross we look and live.
3 Day by day with strength supplied, Thro' the life of him who died, Lord of life, oh, let us be Rooted, grafted, built on thee.
'Twas on that dark, that dreadful night, When powers of earth and hell arose Against the Son of God's delight, And friends betrayed him to his foes.
2 Before the mournful scene began He took the bread, and blessed and brake; What love thro' all his actions ran! What wondrous words of grace he spake!
3 "This is my body, broke for sin; Receive and eat the living food;" Then took the cup, and blessed the wine: "'Tis the new cov'nant in my blood."
4 "Do this," he cried, "till time shall end, In mem'ry of your dying Friend; Meet at the table, and record The love of your departed Lord."
5 Jesus, thy feast we celebrate; We show thy death, we sing thy name Till thou return, and we shall eat The marriage supper of the Lamb.
While, in sweet communion, feeding On this earthly bread and wine, Savior, may we see thee bleeding On the cross, to make us thine.
2 Now, our eyes forever closing To this fleeting world below, On thy gentle breast reposing, Teach us, Lord, thy grace to know.
3 Though unseen, be ever near us, With the still small voice of love, Whisp'ring words of peace to cheer us, Ev'ry doubt and fear remove.
4 Bring before us all the story Of thy life, and death of woe; And, with hopes of endless glory, Wean our hearts from all below.
That dreadful night before his death, The Lamb, for sinners slain, Did, almost with his dying breath, This solemn feast ordain.