Lord Jesus Christ, Your Precious Blood

What: This hymn is pretty much your standard Lutheran Lenten hymn. The writer called it a "Meditation on the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ."
Who: Johann Olearius was a Lutheran hymnologist who lived in the 1600's. He is known for a whole lot of hymns, including "Comfort, Comfort, Ye My People."
Changes: I've combined, updated, and altered the translations of C.H.L. Schuette of the old Ohio Synod and A.T. Russell of the Church of England.
Tune: The meter is LM. The most common tune is "Renew Me, O Eternal Light," LSB 704, but it does have a proper tune, given here.

Lord Jesus Christ, Your precious blood

Is to my soul the highest good:

It gives my sins the perfect cure,

Renews my life, and makes me pure.

Your blood, my spotless glorious dress,

Your innocence, my righteousness:

Before my God I pardoned stand,

And enter, crowned, the heav'nly land.

Lord Jesus Christ, God's only Son,

My Comfort, Health, and Mercy-Throne,

Your precious blood, Your quick'ning pow'r

Renews my spirit ev'ry hour.

Lord, keep me, in my final breath,

From fearing Satan, hell, or death.

But let this thought relieve my soul:

Your blood has made me pure and whole!

Herr Jesu Christ, dein theures Blut
J. Olearius
Tr. comp.

Merciful and Wondrous Throne

What: Actually, this hymn has also been wonderfully translated by Aaron Jensen. I have taken the liberty of borrowing his title, since Cronenwett's is, well, not as good (Grace O'erflowing Wonder-Throne).
Who: Johann Olearius (1611-1684) was a Lutheran pastor who wrote a number of hymns, including "Comfort, Comfort All My People."
Note: Cronenwett added the last line to each stanza so as to fill out the meter to 77 77 D.
Tune: WINDSOR, LSB 394.

Merciful and wondrous Throne,

Son of God and Mary’s Son,

God and man, an infant small

Find we cradled in a stall,

Sov'reign from eternity

Great in might and majesty,

Unto Thee bows Christendom;

Make our hearts Thee welcome home.

Thou art rich, yet needy now

Soul and body dost endow;

Thou, great God, become forlorn

Yet put death and hell to scorn.

To the world grows manifest

E'en to those who love Thee least:

Wonderful Thy majesty,

Peerless Thy humility.

Lord, Thy grace and goodness true

Daily unto us renew;

O my God, forsake me not

When dire need and death's my lot.

Grant that after life's brief day,

I Thy wondrous glory may

In eternity adore

And Thy love praise evermore.

Wunderbarer Gnadenthron
Johann Olearius
Tr. E. Cronenwett, alt.

Thank God! My Jesus Cleanses Me

What: This hymn is for the Presentation of Christ, when Jesus has just been circumcised and Mary has just been purified. The hymnwriter, Johann Olearius, brilliantly twists the images of the day: Christ's shed blood purifies us.
Who: The main translator, August Crull, was an LCMS pastor who put together an hymnal in 1884, before working on the LCMS's first English hymnal, the Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book. This hymn is found there, as # 189.
Note: Mark the Small Catechism allusion in verse 1. Also, note that 'Simeon' has 3 syllables.
Changes: I've updated the text a little.
Tune: The meter is 87 87 887 and ELHB has ES IST DAS HEIL (Salvation Unto Us Has Come)

Thank God! My Jesus cleanses me

From all sins I committed,

He paid my debt and set me free,

So now I am acquitted.

I trust in Jesus' righteousness,

His innocence and blessedness

Are now my life and treasure.

Why should I grieve? He Who fulfilled,

The Law, so to release us,

He Who the Father's wrath has stilled

By His own death, this Jesus

Still lives and ev'rything He owns

He gives to me thru faith alone;

Is there a greater treasure?

Now I, like Simeon, can end

My life in peace and gladness,

And to my God I can commend

My spirit without sadness;

For when I shut my weary eyes,

My death will mean I see the Christ

And feel the bliss of heaven.

Lord, may I always be prepared,

Upon Your grace relying!

Oh, keep me in Your favor here,

So I am Yours when dying;

Then I will cry, with cheerful faith

In Him, Who, dying, conquered death,

"Come Jesus! Lord, come quickly!"

Gott Lob! mein Jesus macht mich rein
Johann Olearius
Tr. comp