337. Lent 1 Hymn (Series A)

The texts for Lent 1, in LSB 3-year-series Year A, are Genesis 3:1-21 (the temptation of Adam and Eve) and Matthew 4:1-11 (the temptation of Jesus), plus Romans 5:12-19 (where Paul compares Jesus to Adam). And you betcha, the hymn I wrote for the historic one-year version of Lent 1 draws on the same exact texts. Grrr. But it's too late to back down from writing a new hymn for every Sunday of the three-year series by now; and years B and C run with different texts (though their Gospels are synoptic accounts of Jesus' temptation). So it's all about what I can do differently this time around, eleven years later.

As through one man's fall, sin entered
All mankind, and all men fell,
So in one Man's grace is centered
Our divorce from death and hell.

Sin and death rode, as if married,
Side by side o'er all our race,
Till the second Adam carried
Off their quarry by His grace.

For while one man's act of sinning
Led all men into the dock,
Christ repaired that bad beginning,
All our shackles to unlock.

Oh, believe in Him, receiving
Righteousness as Jesus' gift,
Who bore sin, its ills relieving,
Even death's dread veil to lift!

For while one man's condemnation
Doomed and damned all kinds of men,
Christ created such salvation
That we dare to live again.

Michael Weisse's (1480-1534) tune, FREUEN WIR UNS ALL IN EIN, is my second-favorite tune (after MERTON) for the hymn "Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding," as seen in Lutheran Book of Worship and Lutheran Worship. I haven't seen much of it since then; I've been missing it. So, this.