Lord, how shall I meet Thee",[1] literally: How shall I receive you) is a Christian hymn for Advent by Paul Gerhardt.

It was first published in 1653 in the fifth edition of the hymnal Praxis Pietatis Melica by Johann Crüger, who also created a melody.

Paul Gerhardt wrote the lyrics[2] in the first person, beginning with the theme, the question how to receive Jesus who is expected to arrive.

The first five stanzas, using the verbs "empfangen" (receive) and "umfangen" (surround") expand God's love for humans.

The term Advent (arrival) appears in four meanings in the following stanzas: in mercy, as redeemer, as king, and as judge.

Nichts, nichts hat dich getrieben zu mir vom Himmelszelt als das geliebte Lieben, damit du alle Welt in ihren tausend Plagen und großen Jammerlast, die kein Mund kann aussagen, so fest umfangen hast.

Auch dürft ihr nicht erschrecken vor eurer Sünden Schuld; nein, Jesus will sie decken mit seiner Lieb und Huld.

Was fragt ihr nach dem Schreien der Feind und ihrer Tück?

Oh, kindle, Lord most holy Thy lamp within my breast To do in spirit lowly All that may please Thee best.

When heart and soul dejected, Were sunk in deepest woe, When lost from that high station Where peace and pleasure reign, Thou camest, my Salvation, And mad'st me glad again.

Rejoice, then, ye sad-hearted, Who sit in deepest gloom, Who mourn o’er joys departed And tremble at your doom.

Sin's debt, that fearful burden, Let not your souls distress; Your guilt the Lord will pardon And cover by His grace.

He comes, for men procuring The peace of sin forgiven, For all God's sons securing Their heritage in heaven.

What though the foes by raging, Heed not their craft and spite; Your Lord, the battle waging, Will scatter all their might.

He comes to judge the nations, A terror to His foes, A Light of consolations And blessèd Hope to those Who love the Lord's appearing.

The first stanza from the hymn also appears in Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio,[6] but set to Hans Leo Hassler's "Befiehl du deine Wege" melody (Zahn 5385a)—the same melody as "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden",[2][7] which returns in the work's final movement.