HYMN: My Debt Is More than I Can Pay

It’s been a while since I’ve produced a hymn text. I’ve been sitting on the Propers for the Twenty-Second Sunday After Trinity for three months now, and I’ve only had the smallest snippet of an idea to work with. And then, this morning, an idea popped. For some reason, it always seems to happen that ideas come to me when I should be doing something else—in this instance, paying more attention at Winkel. (Sorry, guys.)

This text is a treatment of Matthew 18:21-35, our Lord’s great lesson on forgiveness: God’s forgiveness for us, our forgiveness for each other, and how the two relate. My text is pretty on-the-head, but that’s not really a bad thing, I think. The tune I had in my head as I wrote this was the tune to which we sing “All Mankind Fell in Adam’s Fall.” As always, feedback is love.

My Debt Is More than I Can Pay

1. My debt is more than I can pay.

Have mercy on me, Lord, I pray.

I have no merit of my own, 

No right to stand before Your throne.

2. If you should mark iniquity,

One sin would merit death for me.

I kneel, enslaved, from Adam’s fall,

Defenseless in Your judgment hall.

3. You, God the Father, Master dear,

Forgive my debt and still my fear.

Your Son in blood has paid my price

Through His own sinless sacrifice.

4. When I then leave the judgment seat,

My ransom paid, full and complete,

Should I demand to be repaid 

My neighbor’s debt of lesser grade?

5. If I should not forgive the debt,

If Your great mercy I forget,

You, Master, will withdraw from me

The grace by which You set me free.

6. I pray, O Christ: Oh, may it be

Your love and grace abound in me.

Give me to choose the better part,

To love this holy, righteous art.

7. Teach me, O Lord, in whom I live,

To love and always to forgive,

To bear good fruit of thankful praise

And honor You for all my days.

(c) 2019 Alan Kornacki, Jr.

LM (88 88)

Tune: WENN WIR IN HÖCHSTEN NÖTEN SEIN (LSB 562)
Occasion: Trinity XXII (Matthew 18:21-35); Forgiveness of Sins