I was once held by the captor

Whose name is SIN.

He always said to me, 

“My name stands for Security, Integrity and Nobility”.

Every morning I awoke to the sound of his voice:

“I procure joy, not sorrow; 

I bring peace, not calamity.

Delightful are my morsels,

And he who heeds my counsel finds freedom!”

 

Day after day I listened to SIN

And partook of his morsels.

Though sweet in my mouth,

They inflicted mortal wounds on my soul.

Yet my flesh awoke everyday with the same craving,

Ready to partake more morsels.

 

Though SIN inflicted me with incurable wounds

And clothed my heart with crushing pangs,

I unwaveringly heeded his counsel;

For enchanting were his promises.

For thus he said to me

Whenever he enticed my heart,

“Be not afraid! 

For joy will be yours forever,

If you never miss a portion of my delicacies.”

 

I always fell for his enticement and, 

With eagerness, I rushed to his table

And had my fill for the day.

But whenever the sun went down,

There I lay – distressed and helpless.

For the fear of death had a hold on me.

But still I was loyal to SIN

And served him with zeal for more than three decades

Until one morning the Light of life – 

Christ the Savior King, dawned on me.

And I awoke to the voice of His Majesty.

 

Out of the darkness He called me,

And I was overwhelmed by what I saw.

Behold, I was covered with my own filth,

And grief seized my soul

And tears filled my heart!

Then I saw the Lord my Redeemer standing before me.

He stretched out His hand 

And drew me out of the cesspool of my iniquity.

I cried to Him, “What am I, O Lord, 

That You have shone on me the light of Your countenance?

I am but a filthy worm!”

Then my Lord said to me, 

“Fear not! For behold, I will make you clean”.

 

He took hold of me and unstopped my ears –

For SIN’s boastful voice had stopped them;

He removed the blinders with which SIN had clothed my eyes,

And shattered the shackles 

With which SIN had adorned the neck of my soul.

He cleansed me with His precious blood and bound up my wounds;

And with His clean garment clothed my nakedness.

 

How beautiful is the Lord my Savior!

I was hostile in mind and my heart hardened by SIN.

But You, O Lord, have created in me a pure heart and a sincere mind.

You have filled me with the love of God,

Have clothed my heart with peace and joy,

And drenched my soul with life and hope!

 

There is none like the Lord God my righteousness,

The Rock of my salvation!

Faithful and True is His name.

He has delivered me from SIN

And seated me at His table

And made me a partaker of His glorious grace.

In my Redeemer alone security is found.

In His right hand is life everlasting,

And in His left hand are riches and honor.

Love, grace and righteousness never depart from His heart,

Nor does truth from His lips.

 

The Lord my God is clothed with majesty and beauty!

And excellent are all His works.

His ways are ways of pleasantness

And all His paths are peace.

Whoever heeds the voice of the Savior King finds freedom,

And is free indeed.

 

Who is like the Lord my God,

Christ Jesus, the God of all grace and kindness?

The LORD our Righteousness is His name from everlasting!

And holy is the Lord our God.

Healing is in His wings.

To Him belong glory, honor, praise, worship and thanks forever!

 

The Lord has clothed my heart with joy and gladness

And crowned my soul with life everlasting.

Once I was dead and lonely.

But You, O Lord, have given me life and adopted me into Your family.

Once I was lost, but You sought me and rescued me.

I was once deprived of sight, 

But You, O Lord, are my light forever!

Once I was a slave, 

But You have set me free, O Lord my God and my Deliverer!

I once fed my soul on ashes, 

But You, O Bread of Life, are my portion forever.

 

How beautiful is the Lord my Savior!

Holy is my God and just are His ways!

He forgives sins and iniquities,

But punishes the proud in heart.

His wrath will consume His adversaries,

But the poor in spirit shall receive His mercy.

 

How beautiful are You, O Lord! 

My Rock and my Deliverer!

Blessed be Your holy name forever!