103. Oculi Hymn

Oculi is the third Sunday in Lent, coming this weekend to a Lutheran church near you. It gets its name from the Latin introit for the day from Psalm 25:15, "My eyes are ever toward the Lord." In writing a hymn for this Sunday's traditional Scripture readings, I continue to fill in the gaps in my church-year hymns. I have already written a hymn for Lenten Sundays one (Invocavit), two (Reminiscere), four (Laetare) and six (Palm Sunday). The readings for Oculi are Ephesians 5:1-9 and Luke 11:14-28. At the moment I have no particular tune in mind for this hymn.

When snares bestrew my way
And sin will have its day,
Who else shall turn a loving face
To me, who else respond with grace
When, desolate, I sigh,
When in distress I cry?
My eyes are ever toward
The Christ, my trusty Lord!

He puts the foe to rout,
Casts unclean spirits out.
Who can defeat the demon horde
But by the finger of the Lord?
Who can a strong man foil,
His arms and plunder spoil?
My eyes are ever toward
The Christ, my trusty Lord!

He only God has seen;
What can make Him unclean?
His touch, so full of holy grace,
Shall rather every mark erase
And, lest a worse appear,
Imprint His image there.
My eyes are ever toward
The Christ, my trusty Lord!

Happy are they who hear
God's Word and hold it dear.
So walk in love as even Christ,
Who willingly was sacrificed
Our foulness to consume,
Toward God a fragrant fume.
All eyes, be lifted toward
The Christ, our trusty Lord!

Forbid, O God, that sin
Once more should dwell within
The souls You won from realms of night;
Keep us as children of the light,
And let Your light bear fruit
In righteousness and truth.
Our eyes are ever toward
The Christ, our trusty Lord!

UPDATE: Here's an original tune to go with this hymn. Title: OCULI.