My song is love unknown

by Samuel Crossman, 1624–83

1  MY song is love unknown, 
  my Saviour’s love to me, 
 love to the loveless shown, 
  that they might lovely be. 
   O who am I, 
    that for my sake 
    my Lord should take 
   frail flesh, and die? 
 
2  He came from His blest throne, 
  salvation to bestow: 
 but men made strange, and none 
  the longed-for Christ would know. 
   But O, my friend! 
    my friend indeed, 
    who at my need 
   His life did spend! 
 
3  Sometimes they strew His way, 
  and His sweet praises sing; 
 resounding all the day 
  hosannas to their king. 
   Then ‘Crucify!’ 
    is all their breath, 
    and for His death 
   they thirst and cry. 
 
4  They rise and needs will have 
  my dear Lord made away; 
 a murderer they save; 
  the Prince of life they slay. 
   Yet steadfast He 
    to suffering goes, 
    that He His foes 
   from thence might free. 
 
5  In life, no house, no home 
  my Lord on earth might have; 
 in death, no friendly tomb 
  but what a stranger gave. 
   What may I say? 
    Heaven was His home: 
    but mine the tomb 
   wherein He lay. 

6  Here might I stay and sing, 
  no story so divine; 
 never was love, dear King, 
  never was grief like Thine! 
   This is my friend, 
    in whose sweet praise 
    I all my days 
   could gladly spend.