Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart
The hymn traditionally sung at a deathbed, and the third stanza is why.
The words are public domain. We print a hymn only after checking it word for word against a dated old printing, and this one hasn’t been checked yet. Hymnary has it now.
“Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart” at HymnaryAbout this hymn
The first two stanzas are what the title promises. The third turns and asks for a specific thing: that when the hour comes, the soul would be carried to rest, and the body would sleep until the last day without any pain at all.
That is why this one is remembered. It is not a hymn about death in general. It is a hymn to have ready.
If you are looking for something to sing or read beside someone who is dying, start here. Our Care pages will point back to it.
For musicians and planners
| Words | Martin Schalling, 1571 | Public domain |
|---|---|---|
| Translation | Catherine Winkworth, 1858 | Public domain |
| Tune | HERZLICH LIEB · Matthias Gastritz (attributed; printed in Bernhard Schmid's organ tablature, Strassburg, 1577), 1571 | Public domain |
Checked 2026-09-27 against hymnary.org text, tune and person pages (attribution and rights only)
Hymn numbers checked against Hymnary.org’s index of Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Full record: Hymnary.