Lord, I love Thee with the first love,
For Thou hast first lovèd me.
E'en before the world's foundation
Thou didst set Thy love on me.
'Twas in love that God the Father
Chose me to become a part
Of that holy, spotless Beauty,
Thine own yearned-for counterpart.

Lord, I love Thee with the first love:
Thou hast proved Thy love for me.
I was dead in sins, offenses,
Yet Thou hung upon the tree,
Bore my sins in Thine own body,
That I'd live to righteousness.
Made sin for me, that I might be
Made in Thee God's righteousness!

Lord, I love Thee with the first love,
For Thou didst not save Thyself.
E'en to death I'd love Thee best, Lord,
Hating my soul-life, myself.
Thou laidst down Thy human life that
I may have Thy life divine.
Thy side piercèd and Thy blood shed,
To graft me to Thee, the vine.

Lord, I love Thee with the first love,
For Thy love constraineth me.
To myself I'd live no longer;
Lord, I'd live and die to Thee.
Thou didst give Thyself up for me;
I now let Thee live for me.
'Tis no longer I that liveth,
But Thou, Christ, who lives in me.

Lord, I love Thee with the first love:
For Thou art preeminent;
The Firstborn of all creation,
And the Firstborn from the dead.
Thou alone must have the first place
In all things, O dearest King;
In my heart I now enthrone Thee;
Reign in me in everything.

Lord, I love Thee with the first love.
To the first works I return.
I repent of fleshly labors;
In, by, for myself they were.
Motivated by the first love,
Lab'ring to adorn Thy bride:
Purest gold, pearl, stones most precious,
That Thy heart be satisfied.

Lord, I love Thee with the first love.
For my fair Bridegroom Thou art.
On Thy glorious face I'm gazing
With the eyes of unveiled heart.
Oh! to see Thee as Thou art, Lord,
Shining forth in majesty!
Seeing Thee, I shall be like Thee;
One in life and love we'll be.