My Eternal King

My God, I love Thee, not because
I hope for heaven thereby,
nor yet because, if I love not,
I must forever die.

Thou, O my Jesus, thou didst me
upon the cross embrace;
for me didst bear the nails and spear
and manifold disgrace.

Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ,
should I not love Thee well?
Not for the sake of winning heaven,
nor of escaping hell.

Not with the hope of gaining aught,
not seeking a reward,
but as Thyself hast loved me,
O everlasting Lord.

So would I love Thee, dearest Lord,
and in Thy praise will sing;
because Thou art my loving God
and my eternal King.

~Latin Trans. by Edward Caswall & Adpt. by Percy Dearmer (original text attributed to St. Francis Xavier)