We all have our favourites; these are currently my top 145+
May they help us to worship Christ our Saviour and King.
Contents (Click on desired Hymn)
AH = Alexander's Hymns
AT = Augustus Toplady - Selected Diary and Hymns
BG = Billy Graham
BHB = Baptist Hymn Book
C = Ellis J Crum
CA = CityAlight
CE = Charlotte Elliot
CH = Crusader Hymns
CP = Christian Praise
CSSM = CSSM Choruses
CW = Christian Watch
DF = Dallan Forgaill (Ancient Irish)
DW = Daniel Whittle
GB = Golden Bells
GH = Gadsby Hymnal
GK = Graham Kendrick
GFI = The Gospel in the Feasts of Israel
H = Hymnary.org
Hf = Elisha Hoffman
JH = J Hart
JK - Jordan Kauflin
JO = Johnson Oatman
JN = John Newton
JR = Jonny Robinson, M Farren, R Thompson
JW = John Walvoord
K = Keswick Week 1962
KH = Keswick Hymn Book
LG = Leslie Greening
MHB = Methodist Hymn Book
ML = Martyn Layzell
MP = Matt Papa
MM = Matt Maher
NTH = Namethathymn.com
OH = Olney Hymns
RH = Redemption Hymnal
RHS = Revival Hour Songs
Ryle = Are you ready for the end times?
Spurg = Spurgeon 'Our own Hymn-book
SC = Sydney Carter
SH = Spring Harvest
SS = Sankey's Songs
ST = Stuart Townend
TfL = Truth for Life
TM = Thankyou Music
W = Wesley Hymn Book
W.How = William How
WC = William Collyer
A debtor to mercy alone,
of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear, with thy righteousness on,
my person and offering to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
with me can have nothing to do;
My Saviour's obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view.
The work which His goodness began,
the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is Yea and Amen,
and never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
nor all things below or above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo,
or sever my soul from His love.
My name from the palms of His hands
eternity will not erase;
Impressed on His heart it remains,
in marks of indelible grace.
Yes, I to the end shall endure,
as sure as the earnest is given;
More happy, but not more secure,
the glorified spirits in Heaven.
Augustus Toplady 1740-1778
A few more years shall roll,
A few more seasons come,
And we shall be with those that rest
Asleep within the tomb;
Then, 0 my Lord, prepare
My soul for that great day.
0 wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.
A few more suns shall set
O'er these dark hills of time,
And we shall be where suns are not,
A far serener clime:
Then, 0 my Lord, prepare
My soul for that blest day.
0 wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.
A few more storms shall beat
On this wild rocky shore,
And we shall be where tempests cease,
And surges swell no more;
Then, 0 my Lord, prepare
My soul for that calm day.
0 wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.
A few more struggles here,
A few more partings o'er,
A few more toils, a few more tears,
And we shall weep no more;
Then, 0 my Lord, prepare
My soul for that bright day.
0 wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.
A few more Sabbaths here
Shall cheer us on our way,
And we shall reach the endless rest,
The eternal Sabbath day;
Then 0 my Lord, prepare
My soul for that sweet day.
0 wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.
'Tis but a little while,
And He shall come again
Who died that we might live, who lives
That we with Him may reign;
Then, 0 my Lord, prepare
My soul for that glad day.
0 wash me in Thy precious blood,
And take my sins away.
Horatius Bonar 1808-1889
A Sovereign Protector I have,
Unseen, yet for ever at hand,
Unchangeably faithful to save,
Almighty to rule and command.
He smiles and my comforts abound;
His grace as the dew shall descend,
And walls of salvation surround
The soul He delights to defend.
Kind Author and ground of my hope,
Thee, Thee, for my God I avow;
My glad Ebenezer set up
And own Thou hast helped me till now.
I muse on the years that are past
Wherein my defence Thou hast proved;
Nor wilt Thou relinquish at last
A sinner so signally loved.
Inspirer and Hearer of prayer,
Thou Shepherd and Guardian of Thine,
My all to Thy covenant care
I sleeping and waking resign.
If Thou art my Shield and my Sun,
The night is no darkness to me;
And, fast as my moments roll on,
They bring me but nearer to Thee.
Augustus Toplady 1740-1778
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide!
When other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see:
0 Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need thy presence every passing hour;
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;
Where is death's sting? where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me,
Hold thou thy Cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee:
In life, in death, 0 Lord, abide with me!
Henry Lyte 1793 - 1847
Above all powers, above all kings,
Above all nature and created things,
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man,
You were here before the world began.
Crucified, laid behind a stone
You lived to die, rejected and alone,
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me,
Above all.
Above all kingdoms, above all thrones,
Above all wonders the world has ever known,
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth,
There's no way to measure what you're worth.
Paul Baloche 1962 -
Alas! and did my Saviour bleed,
and did my Sovereign die!
Would he devote that sacred head
for sinners such as I?
Was it for crimes that I have done,
he groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
Well might the sun in darkness hide,
and shut its glories in,
when God, the mighty maker, died
for his own creature's sin.
Thus might I hide my blushing face
while his dear cross appears;
dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
and melt mine eyes to tears.
But drops of tears can ne'er repay
the debt of love I owe.
Here, Lord, I give myself away;
'tis all that I can do.
Isaac Watts 1674 - 1748
All my days I will sing this song of gladness,
Give my praise to the Fountain of delights;
For in my helplessness You heard my cry,
And waves of mercy poured down on my life.
I will trust in the cross of my Redeemer,
I will sing of the blood that never fails;
Of sins forgiven, of conscience cleansed,
Of death defeated and life without end.
Beautiful Saviour, Wonderful Counsellor,
Clothed in majesty, Lord of history,
You’re the Way, the Truth, the Life.
Star of the Morning, glorious in holiness,
You’re the Risen One, heaven’s Champion
And You reign, You reign over all.
I long to be where the praise is never-ending,
Yearn to dwell where the glory never fades;
Where countless worshippers will share one song,
And cries of ‘worthy’ will honour the Lamb!
Stuart Townend
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flow’r that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountains,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning
That brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden,
He made them every one.
The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
To gather every day.
He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
C F Alexander 1818-1895
All ye that pass by,
To Jesus draw nigh:
To you is it nothing that Jesus should die?
Your ransom and peace,
Your surety is:
Come, see if there ever was sorrow like his.
He dies to atone
For sins not his own:
Your debt he has paid, and your work he has done.
Ye all may receive
The peace he did leave,
Who made intercession: My Father, forgive!
For you and for me
He prayed on the tree:
The prayer is accepted, the sinner is free.
That sinner am I,
Who on Jesus rely,
And come for the pardon God cannot deny.
My pardon I claim;
For a sinner I am,
A sinner believing in Jesus' name.
He purchased the grace,
Which now I embrace:
O Father, thou know'st he hath died in my place.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Alleluia, sing to Jesus!
His the sceptre, his the throne;
Alleluia, his the triumph,
His the victory alone.
Hark! the songs of peaceful Zion
Thunder like a mighty flood:
'Jesus, out of every nation,
Hath redeemed us by his blood.'
Alleluia, not as orphans
Are we left in sorrow now;
Alleluia, he is near us,
Faith believes, nor questions how.
Though the cloud from sight received him,
When the forty days were o'er,
Shall our hearts forget his promise,
'I am with you evermore'?
Alleluia, bread of angels,
Here on earth our food, our stay;
Alleluia, here the sinful
Flee to you from day to day.
Intercessor, friend of sinners,
Earth's redeemer, plead for me,
Where the songs of all the sinless
Sweep across the crystal sea.
Alleluia, King eternal,
Lord omnipotent we own;
Alleluia, born of Mary,
Earth your footstool, heaven your throne.
As within the veil you entered,
Robed in flesh, our great high priest,
Here on earth both priest and victim
In the eucharistic feast.
Chatterton Dix 1837 - 1898
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures.
Yes, when this heart and flesh shall fail
And mortal life shall cease
I shall possess within the veil
A life of joy and peace.
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine,
But God, who called me here below
Will be forever mine.
John Newton 1725 - 1807
And now, O Father, mindful of the love,
That bought us, once for all, on Calvary's tree,
And having with us Him that pleads above,
We here present, we here spread forth to thee
That only offering perfect in your eyes,
The one true, pure, immortal sacrifice.
Look, Father, look on his anointed face,
And only look on us as found in him;
Look not on our misusings of they grace,
Our prayer so languid, and our faith so dim:
For lo, between our sins and their reward
We set the passion of thy Son, our Lord.
William Bright 1824 - 1901
Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth,
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth.
Saints, before the altar bending,
Waiting long with hope and fear,
Suddenly the Lord descending
In his Temple shall appear.
Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doom'd for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now repeals the sentence,
Mercy calls you - break your chains!
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the new-born King.
James Montgomery 1771 - 1854
Approach, my soul, the mercy seat,
Where Jesus answers prayer;
And humbly fall before his feet,
For none can perish there.
Your promise is my only plea;
To you alone I cry;
For burdened souls in you are free,
And such, O Lord, am I.
Bowed down beneath the weight of sin,
By Satan sorely pressed,
From outward foes and fears within,
I come to you for rest.
Lord, be my shield and hiding place,
That, sheltered near your side,
I may my fierce accuser face,
And tell him you have died.
Amazing love! to bleed and die,
To bear the cross and shame,
That guilty sinners, such as I,
Might plead your gracious name!
John Newton 1725 - 1807
Arise, my soul, arise,
Shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding Sacrifice
In my behalf appears:
Before the throne my Surety stands;
My name is written on his hands.
He ever lives above,
For me to intercede,
His all redeeming love,
His precious blood, to plead;
His blood atoned for all our race,
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.
Five bleeding wounds he bears,
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers,
They strongly speak for me:
"Forgive him, O forgive", they cry,
"Nor let that ransomed sinner die!"
The Father hears him pray,
His dear Anointed One;
He cannot turn away
The presence of his Son:
His Spirit answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God.
My God is reconciled,
His pardoning voice I hear,
He owns me for his child,
I can no longer fear,
With confidence, I now draw nigh,
And, Father, Abba, Father, cry!
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
As pants the hart for cooling streams
When heated in the chase,
So longs my soul, O God, for Thee,
And Thy refreshing grace.
Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Trust God, who will employ
His aid for thee, and change these sighs
To thankful hymns of joy.
For Thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine;
Oh, when shall I behold Thy face,
Thou Majesty Divine?
God of my strength, how long shall I,
Like one forgotten, mourn,
Forlorn, forsaken, and exposed
To my oppressor’s scorn?
Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Hope still, and thou shalt sing
The praise of Him who is thy God,
Thy health’s eternal spring.
Nahum Tate and Nicholas Brady
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the wind and waves still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.
Be still, my soul; though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then you will better know his love, his heart,
Who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.
Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay
From his own fullness all he takes away.
Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Kathrina von Schlegel 1697 - 1768
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tow’r:
Raise Thou me heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Mary Bryme (Ancient Irish ca. 700)
Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong, a perfect plea;
A great High-priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands,
My name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see him there,
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on him and pardon me.
Behold him there! the risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless Righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!
One with himself, I cannot die;
My soul is purchased by his blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Saviour and my God.
Charitie Bancroft 1841 - 1923
Begone, unbelief,
My Saviour is near,
And for my relief
Will surely appear;
By prayer let me wrestle,
And He will perform;
With Christ in the vessel,
I smile at the storm.
Though dark be my way,
Since He is my Guide,
'Tis mine to obey,
'Tis His to provide;
Though cisterns be broken,
And creatures all fail,
The word He hath spoken
Shall surely prevail.
His love, in time past,
Forbids me to think
He'll leave me at last
In trouble to sink:
Each sweet Ebenezer
I have in review
Confirms His good pleasure
To help me quite through.
Why should I complain
Of want or distress,
Temptation or pain?
He told me no less;
The heirs of salvation,
I know from His Word,
Through much tribulation
Must follow their Lord.
How bitter that cup
No heart can conceive,
Which He drank quite up,
That sinners might live!
His way was much rougher
And darker than mine;
Did Christ, my Lord, suffer,
And shall I repine?
Since all that I meet
Shall work for my good,
The bitter is sweet,
The medicine, food;
Though painful at present,
'Twill cease before long,
And then, oh, how pleasant
The conqueror's song!
John Newton 1725 - 1807
Beneath the blood-stained lintel
I with my children stand;
A messenger of evil
Is passing through the land.
There is no other refuge
From the destroyer's face;
Beneath the blood-stained lintel
Shall be our hiding-place.
The Lamb of God has suffered,
Our sins and griefs he bore;
By faith the blood is sprinkled
Above our dwelling's door.
The foe who seeks to enter
Doth fear that sacred sign;
Tonight the blood-stained lintel
Shall shelter me and mine.
Gospel in the Feasts of Israel p.5
Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand;
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.
O safe and happy shelter,
O refuge tried and sweet,
O trysting-place where heaven's love
And heaven's justice meet!
As to the holy patriarch
That wondrous dream was given,
So seems my Saviour's cross to me,
A ladder up to heaven.
There lies, beneath its shadow,
But on the further side,
The darkness of an awful grave
That gapes both deep and wide;
And there between us stands the cross
Two arms outstretched to save;
Like watchmen set to guard the way
From that eternal grave.
Upon that cross of Jesus,
Mine eyes at time can see
The very dying form of One
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears,
Two wonders I confess -
The wonder of his glorious love,
And my own worthlessness.
I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of his face:
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss -
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.
Elizabeth Clephane 1830 - 1869
Bought with price I am,
And all to thee belong;
Deign to accept, most gracious Lamb,
The singer and the song!
To thee my spirit bows,
To thee my hopes aspire;
Nailed to the door-posts of thine house,
I only thee desire.
Still let my heart be thine,
Thy property alone;
No longer would I deem it mine,
Or call myself my own.
Centred in things above
Let my affections be;
Take all my heart, thou God of love,
For all belongs to thee.
Augustus Toplady 1740-1778
Break thou the bread of life, dear Lord to me,
As thou didst break the loaves beside the sea;
Beyond the sacred page I seek thee, Lord;
My spirit pants for thee, O living Word!
Break thou the bread of life, O Lord, to me,
That hid within my heart thy word may be;
Mould thou each inward thought, from self set free,
And let my steps be all controlled by thee.
Open thy word of truth that I may see
Thy message written clear and plain for me;
Then in sweet fellowship walking with thee,
Thine image on my life engraved may be.
O send thy Spirit, Lord, now unto me,
That he may touch my eyes and make me see:
Show me the truth concealed within thy word,
And in thy book revealed I see the Lord.
Bless thou the truth, dear Lord, to me, to me,
As thou didst bless the bread by Galilee:
Then shall all bondage cease, all fetters fall;
And I shall find my peace, my All in All.
Mary Lathbury 1841-1913
Christ, above all glory seated!
King triumphant, strong to save!
Dying, thou hast death defeated;
Buried, thou hast spoiled the grave.
Thou art gone where now is given,
What no mortal might could gain,
On the eternal throne of heaven,
In the Father's power to reign.
There thy kingdoms all adore thee,
Heaven above and earth below;
While the depths of hell before thee
Trembling and defeated bow.
We, O Lord, with hearts adoring,
Follow thee above the sky;
Hear our prayers thy grace imploring,
Lift our souls to thee on high.
So when thou again in glory
On the clouds of heaven shalt shine,
We thy flock may stand before thee,
Owned for evermore as thine.
Latin 6th Century
Come, Holy Ghost, all-quickening fire,
Come, and in me delight to rest;
Drawn by the lure of strong desire,
O come and consecrate my breast;
The temple of my soul prepare,
And fix thy sacred presence there.
Eager for thee I ask and pant;
So strong, the principle divine
Carries me out, with sweet constraint,
Till all my hallowed soul is thine;
Plunged in the Godhead's deepest sea,
And lost in thine immensity.
My peace, my life, my comfort thou,
My treasure and my all thou art;
True witness of my sonship, now
Engraving pardon on my heart,
Seal of my sins in Christ forgiven,
Earnest of love, and pledge of heaven.
Come then, my God, mark out thine heir,
Of heaven a larger earnest give;
With clearer light thy witness bear,
More sensibly within me live;
Let all my powers thine entrance feel,
And deeper stamp thyself the seal.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Come, Holy Ghost, all-quickening fire!
Come, and my hallowed heart inspire,
Sprinkled with the atoning blood;
Now to my soul thyself reveal,
Thy mighty working let me feel,
And know that I am born of God.
Humble, and teachable, and mild,
O may I, as a little child,
My lowly Master's steps pursue!
Be anger to my soul unknown,
Hate, envy, jealousy, be gone;
In love create thou all things new.
Let earth no more my heart divide,
With Christ may I be crucified,
To thee with my whole soul aspire;
Dead to the world and all its toys,
Be thou alone my one desire.
My will be swallowed up in thee;
Light in thy light still may I see,
Beholding thee with open face;
Called the full power of faith to prove,
Let all my hallowed heart be love,
And all my spotless life be praise.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Come, Holy Ghost, our hearts inspire,
Let us thine influence prove,
Source of the old prophetic fire,
Fountain of light and love.
Come, Holy Ghost, for moved by thee
The prophets wrote and spoke;
Unlock the truth, thyself the key,
Unseal the sacred Book.
Expand thy wings, celestial Dove,
Brood o'er our nature's night;
On our disordered spirits move,
And let there now be light.
God, through himself, we then shall know,
If thou within us shine,
And sound, with all thy saints below,
The depths of love divine.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Come, Holy Ghost, thine influence shed,
And realize the sign;
Thy life infuse into the bread,
Thy power into the wine.
Effectual let the tokens prove
And made, by heavenly art,
Fit channels to convey thy love
To every faithful heart.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Come, Holy Spirit, come;
Let thy bright beams arise;
Dispel the darkness from our minds,
And open all our eyes.
Cheer our desponding hearts,
Thou heav'nly Paraclete;
Give us to lie with humble hope
At our Redeemer's feet.
Revive our drooping faith;
Our doubts and fears remove;
And kindle in our breasts the flames
Of never-dying love.
Convince us of our sin;
Then lead to Jesus' blood,
And to our wond'ring view, reveal
The secret love of God.
'Tis thine to cleanse the heart,
To sanctify the soul,
To pour fresh life in ev'ry part,
And new create the whole.
Dwell, therefore, in our hearts;
Our minds from bondage free;
Then we shall know and praise and love
The Father, Son, and Thee.
Joseph Hart 1712 - 1768
Come let us join our cheerful songs
With angels round the throne;
Ten thousand thousand are their tongues,
But all their joys are one.
"Worthy the Lamb that died," they cry,
"To be exalted thus:"
"Worthy the Lamb," our lips reply,
"For he was slain for us."
Jesus is worthy to receive
Honour and power divine:
And blessings more than we can give
Be, Lord, for ever thine.
The whole creation join in one,
To bless the sacred name
Of him who sits upon the throne,
And to adore the Lamb.
Isaac Watts 1674 - 1748
Come, O thou Traveller unknown,
Whom still I hold, but cannot see.
My company before is gone,
And I am left alone with thee;
With thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.
I need not tell thee who I am,
My misery and sin declare;
Thyself hast called me by my name,
Look on my hands, and read it there;
But who, I ask thee, who art thou?
Tell me thy name, and tell me now.
In vain thou strugglest to get free,
I never will unloose my hold.
Art thou the man that died for me?
The secret of thy love unfold;
Wrestling, I will not let thee go,
Till I thy name, thy nature know.
Yield to me now; for I am weak,
But confident in self-despair;
Speak to my heart, in blessings speak,
Be conquered by my instant prayer;
Speak, or thou never hence shall move,
And tell me if thy name is Love.
T'is Love, t'is Love! Thou diedst for me!
I hear the whisper in my heart;
The morning breaks, the shadows flee,
Pure, universal Love thou art;
To me, to all, thy mercies move:
Thy nature and thy name is Love.
My prayer hath power with God; the grace
Unspeakable I now receive,
Through faith I see thee face to face;
I see thee face to face and live;
In vain I have not wept and strove;
Thy nature and thy name is Love.
I know thee, Saviour, who thou art,
Jesus, the feeble sinner's friend;
Nor wilt thou with the night depart,
But stay and love me to the end;
Thy mercies never shall remove;
Thy nature and thy name is Love.
Contented now upon my thigh
I halt, till life's short journey end;
All helplessness, all weakness, I
On thee alone for strength depend;
Nor have I power from thee to move:
Thy nature and thy name is Love.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Come, Saviour, Jesus, from above,
Assist me with thy heavenly grace;
Empty my heart of earthly love,
And for thyself prepare a place.
O let thy sacred presence fill,
And set my longing spirit free,
Which pants to have no other will,
But day and night to feast on thee.
That path with humble speed I'll seek,
Wherein my Saviour's footsteps shine;
Nor will I hear, nor will I speak,
Of any other love but thine.
Henceforth may no profane delight
Divide this consecrated soul;
Possess it thou, who hast the right,
As Lord and Master of the whole.
Thee I can love, and thee alone,
With pure delight and inward bliss;
To know thou tak'st me for thine own,
O what a happiness is this.
Nothing on earth do I desire
But thy pure love within my breast;
This, only this, will I require,
And freely give up all the rest.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Come, thou everlasting Spirit,
Bring to every thankful mind
All the Saviour's dying merit,
All his sufferings for mankind:
True recorder of his passion,
Now the living faith impart,
Now reveal his great salvation,
Preach his gospel to our heart.
Come, thou Witness of his dying;
Come, Remembrancer divine,
Let us feel thy power, applying
Christ to every soul, and mine.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious measure
Sung by flaming tongues above;
O the vast, the boundless treasure
Of my Lord's redeeming love!
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Hither by Thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
O, that day when freed from sinning
I shall see Thy lovely face
Clothed then in the blood washed linen
How I'll sing Thy wondrous grace
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry
Take my ransomed soul away
Send Thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let that grace, Lord, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Take my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it from Thy courts above!
Robert Robinson 1735 - 1790
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free,
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
Hope of all the earth thou art;
Dear desire of every nation,
Joy of every loving heart.
Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a king,
Born to reign in us for ever,
Now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Come unto me, ye weary, and I will give you rest.
O blessed voice of Jesus, which comes to hearts oppressed!
It tells of benediction, of pardon, grace, and peace,
of joy that hath no ending, of love which cannot cease.
Come unto me, dear children, and I will give you light.
O loving voice of Jesus, which comes to cheer the night!
Our hearts were filled with sadness, and we had lost our way;
but morning brings us gladness, and songs the break of day.
Come unto me, ye fainting, and I will give you life.
O peaceful voice of Jesus, which comes to end our strife!
The foe is stern and eager, the fight is fierce and long;
but thou hast made us mighty, and stronger than the strong.
And whosoever cometh I will not cast him out.
O patient love of Jesus, which drives away our doubt;
which calls us, very sinners, unworthy though we be,
of love so free and boundless, to come, dear Lord, to thee!
Chatterton Dix 1837 - 1898
Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose Name is Counsellor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.
Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.
Carolina Sandell (Sweden) 1832 - 1903
Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear,
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?
I have long withstood His grace,
Long provoked Him to His face,
Would not hearken to His calls,
Grieved Him by a thousand falls.
Lo! I still walk on the ground:
Lo! an advocate is found:
"Hasten not to cut him down,
Let this barren soul alone."
Jesus speaks, and pleads His blood!
He disarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father’s mercies move,
Justice lingers into love.
Kindled His relentings are,
Me He now delights to spare,
Cries, "How shall I give thee up?"
Lets the lifted thunder drop.
There for me the Saviour stands,
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands.
God is love! I know, I feel;
Jesus weeps and loves me still.
Jesus, answer from above,
Is not all Thy nature love?
Wilt Thou not the wrong forget,
Permit me to kiss Thy feet?
If I rightly read Thy heart,
If Thou all compassion art,
Bow Thine ear, in mercy bow,
Pardon and accept me now.
Pity from Thine eye let fall,
By a look my soul recall;
Now the stone to flesh convert,
Cast a look, and break my heart.
Now incline me to repent,
Let me now my sins lament,
Now my foul revolt deplore,
Weep, believe, and sin no more.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Earth, rejoice, our Lord is King!
Sons of men, his praises sing;
Sing ye in triumphant strains,
Jesus the Messiah reigns!
Power is all to Jesus given,
Lord of hell, and earth, and heaven.
Every knee to him shall bow;
Satan, hear, and tremble now!
Angels and archangels join,
All triumphantly combine,
All in Jesu's praise agree,
Carrying on his victory.
Though the sons of night blaspheme,
More there are with us than them;
God with us, we cannot fear;
Fear, ye fiends, for Christ is here!
Lo! to faith's enlightened sight,
All the mountain flames with light;
Hell is nigh, but God is nigher,
Circling us with hosts of fire.
Christ the Saviour is come down,
Points us to the victor's crown,
Bids us take our seats above,
More than conquerors in his love.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Eternal Sun of Righteousness,
Display thy beams divine,
And cause the glories of thy face
Upon my heart to shine.
Light in thy light O may I see,
Thy grace and mercy prove,
Revived and cheered and blessed by thee,
The God of pardoning love.
Lift up thy countenance serene,
And let thy happy child
Behold, without a cloud between,
The Godhead reconciled.
That all-comprising peace bestow
On me, through grace forgiven;
The joys of holiness below,
And then the joys of heaven.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
Father of heaven, whose love profound
A ransom for our souls hath found,
Before thy throne we sinners bend;
To us thy pardoning love extend.
Almighty Son, incarnate Word,
Our Prophet, Priest, Redeemer, Lord,
Before thy throne we sinners bend;
To us thy saving grace extend.
Eternal Spirit, by whose breath
The soul is raised from sin and death,
Before thy throne we sinners bend;
To us thy quickening power extend.
Thrice holy: Father, Spirit, Son;
Mysterious Godhead, Three in One,
Before thy throne we sinners bend;
Grace, pardon, life to us extend.
Edward Cooper 1770 - 1833
Father of Jesus Christ, my Lord,
I humbly seek thy face,
Encouraged by the Saviour's word
To ask thy pardoning grace.
Far from the paths of men, to thee
I solemnly retire;
See, thou dost in secret see,
And grant my heart's desire.
The grace I languish to receive,
The Spirit of love and power,
Blameless before thy face to live,
To live and sin no more.
Fain would I thy goodness feel,
And know my sins forgiven,
And do on earth thy perfect will
As angels do in heaven.
O Father, glorify thy Son,
And grant what I require;
For Jesu's sake the gift send down,
And answer me by fire.
Kindle the flame of love within,
Which may to heaven ascend,
And now the work of grace begin,
Which shall in glory end.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
For ever with the Lord! Amen, so let it be!
Life from the dead is in that word; t'is immortality.
Here in the body pent, absent from him I roam;
Yet nightly pitch my moving tent a day's march nearer home.
My Father's house on high, home of my soul, how near
At times to faith's foreseeing eye thy golden gates appear!
My thirsty spirit faints to reach the land I love,
The bright inheritance of saints - Jerusalem above.
For ever with the Lord! Father, if ‘tis thy will,
The promise of that faithful word, e'en here to me fulfill.
Be thou at my right hand, then can I never fail;
Uphold thou me, so I shall stand, fight, and I must prevail.
So when my latest breath shall rend the veil in twain,
By death I shall escape from death, and life eternal gain.
Knowing as I am known, how shall I love that word!
And oft repeat before the throne, for ever with the Lord.
James Montgomery 1771 - 1854
Free from the law—oh, happy condition!
Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.
Once for all—oh, sinner, receive it;
Once for all—oh, doubter, believe it;
Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.
There on the cross your burden upbearing,
Thorns on His brow your Saviour is wearing;
Never again your sin need appal,
You have been pardoned once for all.
Now we are free—there’s no condemnation;
Jesus provides a perfect salvation:
“Come unto Me,” oh, hear His sweet call,
Come, and He saves us once for all.
Children of God—oh, glorious calling,
Surely His grace will keep us from falling;
Passing from death to life at His call,
Blessed salvation once for all.
Philip Bliss 1838-1876
From heaven you came, helpless babe
Entered our world, your glory veiled;
Not to be served, but to serve
And give your life that we might live.
This is our God, the Servant King.
He calls us now to follow him,
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to the Servant King.
There in the garden of tears,
My heavy load he chose to bear;
His heart with sorrow was torn,
"Yet not my will but yours," he said.
Come see his hands and his feet,
The scars that speak of sacrifice,
The hands that flung the stars into space,
To cruel nails surrendered.
So let us learn how to serve
And in our lives enthrone him,
Each others needs to prefer,
For it is Christ we're serving.
Graham Kendrick 1983
From the squalor of a borrowed stable,
By the Spirit and a virgin's faith
To the anguish and the shame of scandal
Came the Saviour of the human race!
But the skies were filled with the praise of heaven,
Shepherds listen as the angels tell
Of the gift of God come down to man
At the dawning of Immanuel.
King of heaven now the Friend of sinners,
Humble servant in the Father's hands,
Filled with power and the Holy Spirit
Filled with mercy for the broken man.
Yes, he walked my road and he felt my pain
Joys and sorrows that I know so well;
Yet his righteous steps give me hope again
I will follow my Immanuel.
Through the kisses of a friend's betrayal,
He was lifted on a cruel cross;
He was punished for a world's transgressions
He was suffering to save the lost.
He fights for breath, he fights for me,
Loosing sinners from the claims of hell;
And with a shout our souls are free
Death defeated by Immanuel.
Now he's standing in the place of honour,
Crowned with glory on the highest throne,
Interceding for his own beloved
Till his Father calls to bring them home!
Then the skies will part as the trumpet sounds
Hope of heaven or the fear of hell;
But the Bride will run to her lover's arms
Giving glory to Immanuel.
Stuart Townend
From thy supreme tribunal, Lord,
Where justice sits severe,
I to thy mercy-seat appeal,
And beg forgiveness there.
Though I have sinned, before the throne
My Advocate I see;
Jesus, be thou my Judge, and let
My sentence come from thee.
Lo, weary to thy cross I fly
There let me shelter find;
Lord, when thou call’st thy ransomed home,
O leave not me behind.
I joyfully embrace thy love
To fallen man revealed;
My hope of glory, dearest Lord,
On thee alone I build.
The law was satisfied by him
Who flesh for me was made;
Its penalty he underwent,
Its precepts he obeyed.
Desert and all self-righteousness
I utterly forego;
My robe of everlasting bliss
My wedding garment thou!
The spotless Saviour lived for me,
And died upon the mount;
The obedience of his life and death
Is placed to my account.
Can’st thou forget that awful hour,
That sad, tremendous scene,
When thy dear blood on Calvary
Flowed out of every vein.
No, Saviour, no; thy wounds are fresh,
E’en now they intercede;
Still, in effect, for guilty man
Incessantly they bleed.
Thine ears of mercy still attend
A contrite sinner’s cries,
A broken heart that groans for God
Thou never wilt despise.
O love incomprehensible
That made thee bleed for me!
The Judge of all hath suffered death
To set his prisoner free!
Augustus Toplady 1740 - 1778
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Holy city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken
Formed thee for His own abode;
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou may’st smile at all thy foes.
See the streams of living waters,
Springing from eternal love,
Well supply thy blessed members,
And all fear of want remove;
Who can faint, when such a river
Ever flows their thirst t’ assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,
Never fails from age to age.
Blest constituents of Zion,
Washed in the Redeemer’s blood;
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
Makes them kings and priests to God.
’Tis His love His people raises
Over self to reign as kings:
And as priests, His worthy praises,
Each his thankful offering brings.
Saviour, if of Zion’s city
I, through grace, a member am,
Let the world deride or pity—
I will glory in Thy name.
Fading is the worldling’s pleasure,
All his boasted pomp and show;
Solid joys and lasting treasure
None but Zion’s members know.
John Newton 1725-1807
Glory be to God on high,
And peace on earth descend:
God comes down, he bows the sky,
And shows himself our friend:
God, the invisible appears:
God, the blest, the great I AM,
Sojourns in this vale of tears,
And Jesus is his name.
Him the angels all adored,
Their Maker and their King;
Tidings of their humbled Lord
They now to mortals bring.
Emptied of his majesty,
Of his dazzling glories shorn,
Being's source begins to be,
And Christ himself is born!
See the eternal son of God
A mortal Son of Man;
Dwelling in an earthly clod,
Whom heaven cannot contain.
Stand amazed, ye heavens, at this:
See the Lord of earth and skies;
Humbled to the dust he is,
And in a manger lies.
We, the sons of men, rejoice,
The Prince of Peace proclaim;
With heaven's host lift up our voice,
And shout Immanuel's name:
Knees and hearts to him we bow;
Of our flesh and of our bone,
Jesus is our brother now,
And God is all our own.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
God holds the key of all unknown,
And I am glad;
If other hands should hold the key,
Or if He trusted it to me,
I might be sad.
What if tomorrow’s cares were here,
Without its rest?
I’d rather He unlocked the day,
And, as the hours swing open, say,
My will is best.
The very dimness of my sight
Makes me secure;
For, groping in my misty way,
I feel His hand; I hear Him say,
My help is sure.
I cannot read His future plans;
But this I know:
I have the smiling of His face,
And all the refuge of His grace
While here below.
Enough; this covers all my wants;
And so I rest;
For what I cannot, He can see,
And in His care I saved shall be,
Forever blest.
John Parker 1825 - 1911
God is working this purpose out,
as year succeeds to year;
God is working this purpose out,
and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be:
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
From utmost east to utmost west,
where human feet have trod,
by the mouth of many messengers
goes forth the voice of God:
“Give ear to me, ye continents,
ye isles, give ear to me,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.”
Let us go forth in the strength of God,
with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth
may shine throughout the world.
Let us all fight with sorrow and sin
to set the captives free,
that the earth may be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
All we can do is nothing worth
unless God blesses the deed.
Vainly we hope for the harvest-tide
till God gives life to the seed.
Yet nearer and nearer draws the time,
the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
A.C.Ainger 1841-1919
Grace sufficient he'll provide you,
Grace in just the way you need,
Grace to save you, grace to guide you,
Grace from sin to keep you freed;
Grace that you may stand unmoving,
Grace in conflict to succeed;
Grace sufficient, always proving
His is wondrous grace indeed.
CSSM
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Thomas Chisholm 1866 - 1960
Great God, what do I see and hear?
The end of things created;
The Judge of mankind doth appear
On clouds of glory seated.
The trumpet sounds; the graves restore
The dead which they contained before:
Prepare, my soul, to meet Him.
The dead in Christ shall first arise
At that last trumpet's sounding,
Caught up to meet Him in the skies,
With joy their Lord surrounding.
No gloomy fears their souls dismay;
His presence sheds eternal day
On those prepared to meet Him.
But sinners, filled with guilty fears,
Behold His wrath prevailing,
For they shall rise and find their tears
And sighs are unavailing;
The day of grace is past and gone;
They trembling stand before his throne,
All unprepared to meet Him.
O Christ, who diedst and yet dost live,
To me impart Thy merit;
My pardon seal, my sins forgive,
And cleanse me by Thy Spirit.
Beneath Thy cross I view the day
When heav'n and earth shall pass away,
And thus prepare to meet Thee.
William Collyer 1782 - 1854
Hail, thou once despisèd Jesus!
Hail, Thou Galilean king!
Thou didst suffer to release us;
Thou didst free salvation bring.
Hail, Thou universal Saviour,
Bearer of our sin and shame!
By Thy merit we find favor;
Life is given through Thy name.
Paschal Lamb, by God appointed,
All our sins on Thee were laid;
By almighty Love anointed,
Thou hast full atonement made:
All Thy people are forgiven
Through the virtue of Thy blood;
Opened is the gate of heaven;
Peace is made 'twixt man and God.
Jesus, hail, enthroned in glory,
There forever to abide!
All the heav'nly host adore Thee,
Seated at Thy Father's side.
There for sinners Thou art pleading;
There Thou dost our place prepare;
Ever for us interceding,
Till in glory we appear.
Worship, honour, pow'r, and blessing
Thou art worthy to receive;
Highest praises, without ceasing,
Meet it is for us to give.
Help, ye bright angelic spirits,
Bring your sweetest, noblest lays;
Help to sing our Saviour's merits;
Help to chant Immanuel's praise!
August Toplady 1740 - 1778
Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes,
The Saviour promised long;
Let every heart prepare a throne,
And every voice a song.
He comes the prisoners to release,
In Satan's bondage held;
The gates of brass before him burst,
The iron fetters yield.
He come the broken heart to bind,
The bleeding soul to cure,
And with the treasures of his grace
To enrich the humble poor.
Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
Thy welcome shall proclaim,
And heaven's eternal arches ring
With thy beloved Name.
Philip Doddridge 1702 - 1751
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King,
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim,
Christ is born in Bethlehem.
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of a virgin's womb!
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see!
Hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as Man with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel!
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild, he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald-angels sing
Glory to the new-born King.
Charles Wesley 1707-1788
He paid a debt He did not owe.
I owed a debt I could not pay.
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song -
Amazing Grace!
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.
My debt He paid upon the cross.
He cleansed my soul from all its dross.
I thought that no one could all my sins erase.
But now I sing a brand new song -
Amazing Grace!
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.
O such great pain my Lord endured
When He my sinful soul secured.
I should have died there, but Jesus took my place.
So now I sing a brand new song -
Amazing Grace!
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.
He didn't give to me a loan;
He gave Himself now He's my own.
He's gone to heaven to make for me a place.
And now I sing a brand new song -
Amazing Grace!
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay.
Ellis J Crum
He that is down need fear no fall,
He that is low, no pride;
He that is humble ever shall
Have God to be his guide.
I am content with what I have,
Little be it or much;
And, Lord, contentment still I crave,
Because thou savest such.
Fullness to such a burden is
That go on pilgrimage;
Here little, and hereafter bliss,
Is best from age to age.
John Bunyan 1628 - 1688
He was pierced for our transgressions,
And bruised for our iniquities,
And to bring us peace he was punished,
And by his stripes we are healed.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
Although he was innocent of crime,
And cut off from the land of the living,
He paid for the guilt that was mine.
All we, like sheep, have gone astray,
Turned every one to his own way,
And the Lord has laid on him
The iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53;12
He who would valiant be
'Gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy
Follow the Master.
There's no discouragement
Shall make him once relent,
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.
Whoso beset him round
With dismal stories,
Do but themselves confound;
His strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might,
Though he with giants fight,
He will make good his right
To be a pilgrim.
Since, Lord, thou dost defend
Us with thy Spirit,
We know we at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away!
I'll fear not what men say,
I'll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.
John Bunyan 1628 - 1688
Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face;
Here would I touch and handle things unseen;
Here grasp with firmer hand th'eternal grace,
And all my weariness upon thee lean.
Here would I feed upon the Bread of God;
Here drink with thee the royal Wine of Heaven;
Here would I lay aside each earthly load,
Here taste afresh the calm of sin forgiven.
This is the hour of banquet and of song,
This is the heav'nly table spread for me;
Here let me feast, and, feasting, still prolong
The brief, bright hour of fellow-ship with thee.
Too soon we rise; the symbols disappear;
The feast, though not the love, is past and gone;
The bread and wine remove; but thou art here,
Nearer than ever; still my Shield and Sun.
Mine is the sin, but Thine the righteousness;
Mine is the guilt, but Thine the cleansing blood:
Here is my robe, my refuge, and my peace
Thy blood, Thy righteousness, O Lord, my God.
Feast after feast thus comes, and passes by;
Yet, passing, points to the glad Feast above,
Giving sweet foretaste of the festal joy,
The Lamb's great Bridal Feast of bliss and love.
Horatius Bonar 1808 - 1889
His hands were pierced, the hands that made
The mountain range and everglade;
That washed the stains of sin away
And changed earth's darkness into day.
His feet were pierced, the feet that trod
The furthest shining star of God;
And left their imprint deep and clear
On ev'ry winding pathway here.
His heart was pierced, the heart that burned
To comfort every heart that yearned,
And from it came a cleansing flood,
The river of redeeming blood.
His hands and feet and heart, all three
Were pierced for me on Calvary,
And here and now to him I bring
My hands, feet, heart, an offering.
Douglas Woods
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life,
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart,
His wounds have paid my ransom.
Stuart Townend
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
Fear not, he is with thee, O be not dismayed,
For he is thy God, and will still give thee aid;
He’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by his righteous, omnipotent hand.
In every condition, in sickness, in health,
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As the days shall demand shall thy strength ever be.
When through the deep waters he calls thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For he will be with thee, in trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
His grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; his only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
He will not, he will not desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake,
He’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake!
George Keith 1638 - 1716
How good is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable friend!
His love is as great as his pow'r
And knows neither measure nor end!
'Tis Jesus, the first and the last;
His Spirit will guide us safe home;
We'll praise him for all that is past
And trust him for all that's to come.
Joseph Hart 1712 - 1768
How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believers ear;
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds
And drives away his fear.
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary rest.
Dear name, the Rock on which I build
My shield and hiding-place,
My never-failing treasury filled
With countless stores of grace.
Jesus, my Shepherd, Saviour, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see thee as thou art
I'll praise thee as I ought.
Till then I would thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
So shall the music of thy name
Refresh my soul in death.
John Newton 1725 - 1807
I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy voice
And it told thy love to me,
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to thee.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in thine.
O the pure delight of a single hour,
That before thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with thee my God,
I commune as friend with friend.
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea,
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with thee.
Fanny Crosby 1820 - 1915
I am waiting for the dawning
Of that bright and glorious day,
When the darksome night of sorrow
Shall have vanished far away;
When forever with the Saviour,
Far beyond this vale of tears,
I shall swell the hymn of worship
Thru the everlasting years.
I am looking at the brightness,
See, it shineth from afar,
Of the clear and joyous beaming
Of the Bright and Morning Star;
Thru the dark grey mist of morning
I behold its glorious light;
Then away with ev'ry shadow
Of this sad and weary night.
I am waiting for the coming
Of the Lord who died for me;
Oh, His words have thrilled my spirit,
"I will come again for thee."
Faith can almost hear Christ's footfall
On the threshold of the door,
And my heart, my heart is longing
To be with Him evermore.
Trevor Francis 1835 - 1925
I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth.
Dance, dance wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the dance said he
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the dance said he.
I danced for the Scribe and the Pharisee,
But they would not dance and they wouldn't follow me.
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John.
They came with me and the dance went on.
I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame.
The holy people said it was a shame.
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me high
And they left me there on the cross to die.
I danced on the Friday and the sky turned black
It's hard to dance with the Devil on your back.
Then they buried my body and they thought I'd gone
But I am the dance and I still go on.
They cut me down and I leapt up high;
I am the Life that will never, never die.
I'll live in you if you live in me
I am the Lord of the dance said he.
Sydney Carter 1915 - 2004
I hear thy welcome voice
That calls me, Lord, to thee
For cleansing in the precious blood
That flows from Calvary.
I am coming, Lord,
Coming now to thee:
Trusting only in the blood
That flowed from Calvary.
Though coming weak and vile,
Thou dost my strength assure:
Thou dost my vileness fully cleanse,
Till spotless all and pure.
'Tis Jesus calls me on
To perfect faith and love,
To perfect hope and peace and trust,
For earth and heaven above.
'Tis Jesus who confirms
The blessed work within,
By adding grace to welcome grace,
Where reigned the power of sin.
All hail, atoning blood!
All hail, redeeming grace!
All hail, the gift of Christ our Lord,
Our strength and righteousness!
Lewis Hartsough 1828 - 1919
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Come unto me and rest:
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon my breast."
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place,
And he has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"Behold I freely give
The living water; Thirsty one,
Stoop down and drink and live."
I came to Jesus and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
"I am this dark world's light;
Look unto me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright."
I looked to Jesus and I found
In him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I'll walk
Till travelling days are done.
Horatius Bonar 1808 - 1889
I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.
But “I know Whom I have believed
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”
I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His word
Wrought peace within my heart.
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.
I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.
Daniel Webster Whittle 1840-1901
I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like thine can peace afford.
I need thee, O I need thee; every hour I need thee;
O bless me now, my Saviour, I come to thee.
I need thee every hour; stay thou nearby;
Temptations lose their power when thou art nigh.
I need thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.
I need thee every hour; teach me thy will;
And thy rich promises in me fulfill.
I need thee every hour, most Holy One;
O make me thine indeed, thou blessed Son.
Annie Hawks 1835 - 1918
I once was lost in darkest night,
Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will;
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.
But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost,
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed;
You suffered in my place,
You bore the wrath reserved for me,
Now all I know is grace.
Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose,
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.
Jordan Kauflin
I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene.
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner condemned, unclean.
How marvellous, How wonderful
And my song will ever be
How marvellous, How wonderful
Is my Saviour's love for me.
For me it was in the garden,
He prayed: “Not my will, but Thine.”
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat-drops of blood for mine.
In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To strengthen Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.
He took my sins and my sorrows
He made them his very own
He bore the burden to Calvary
He suffered and bled for me.
When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see
Twill be joy through the ages
To sing of His love of me.
Chas Gabriel 1856 - 1932
I want a principle within
Of jealous godly fear,
A sensibility of sin,
A pain to feel it near.
I want the first approach to feel
Of pride or fond desire,
To catch the wandering of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.
That I from thee no more may part,
No more thy goodness grieve,
The filial awe, the fleshly heart,
The tender conscience, give.
Quick as the apple of an eye,
O God, my conscience make;
Awake my soul when sin is nigh,
And keep it still awake.
O may the least omission pain
My well instructed soul,
And drive me to the blood again
Which makes the wounded whole.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
I want the Spirit of power within,
Of love, and of a healthful mind:
Of power, to conquer inbred sin;
Of love, to thee and all mankind;
Of health, that pain and death defies,
Most vigorous when the body dies.
When shall I hear the inward voice
Which only faithful souls can hear?
Pardon and peace, and heavenly joys
Attend the promised Comforter:
O come, and righteousness divine,
And Christ, and all with Christ, are mine.
O that the Comforter would come!
Nor visit as a transient guest,
But fix in me his constant home,
And take possession of my breast,
And fix in me his loved abode,
The temple of indwelling God.
Come, Holy Ghost, my heart inspire!
Attest that I am born again;
Come, and baptise me now with fire,
Nor let the former gifts be vain:
I cannot rest in sins forgiven;
Where is the earnest of my heaven?
Where the indubitable seal
That ascertains the kingdom mine?
The powerful stamp I long to feel,
The signature of love divine:
O shed it in my heart abroad,
Fullness of love, of heaven, of God.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
I will exalt thee, Lord,
Thou hast exalted me;
Since thou hast silenced Satan’s boasts,
My boast shall be in thee.
My sins had brought me near
The grave of black despair;
I looked, but there was none to save,
Till I looked up in prayer.
All through the night I wept,
But morning brought relief;
That hand , which broke my bones before,
Then broke my bones of grief.
My grief to dancing turns,
For sackcloth, joy he gives;
A moment, Lord, thine anger burns,
But long thy favour lives.
Sing with me then ye saints,
Who long have known his grace;
With thanks recall the seasons when
Ye also sought his face.
NK
I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I'd rather be his than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I'd rather be led by his nail-pierced hands.
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway;
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause,
I'd rather be faithful to his dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than world-wide fame,
I'd rather be true to his holy name.
He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom,
He's sweeter than honey from out of the comb;
He's all that my hungering spirit needs,
I'd rather have Jesus and let him lead.
Rhea Miller 1894 - 1966
If thou should'st call me to resign
What most I prize, it ne'er was mine;
I only yield thee what was thine;
Thy will be done.
If but my fainting heart be blest
With thy sweet Spirit for its guest,
My God, to thee I leave the rest;
Thy will be done.
Renew my will from day to day
Blend it with thine, and take away
All that now makes it hard to say;
Thy will be done.
Job 121
Charlotte Elliott 1789 - 1871
I'm not ashamed to own my Lord,
Or to defend his cause;
Maintain the honour of his Word
The glory of his cross.
At the Cross, at the Cross, where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day.
Jesus, my Lord! I know his name -
His name is all my trust,
Nor will he put my soul to shame,
Nor let my hope be lost.
Firm as his throne, his promise stands,
And he can well secure
What I've committed to his hands,
Till the decisive hour.
Then will he own my worthless name
Before his Father's face;
And in the new Jerusalem,
Appoint my soul a place.
Isaac Watts 1674 - 1748
I'm under the blood of Jesus,
I'm safe in the Shepherd's fold,
I'm under the blood of Jesus.
Safe when the night grows cold,
Safe when the nations crumble,
Safe when the stars grow dim.
I'm under the blood of Jesus,
And I am safe with him.
NK
Immoveable our hope remains,
Within the vail our anchor lies;
Jesus who washed us from the our stains
Shall bear us safely to the skies.
Strong in his strength we boldly say,
For us Immanuel shed his blood,
Who then shall tear our shield away,
Or part us from the love of God.
Can tribulation or distress,
Or persecution’s fiery sword?
Can satan rob us of our peace
Or prove too mighty for the Lord?
Founded on Christ, secure we stand,
Sealed with his Spirit’s inward seal;
We soon shall gain the promised land,
Triumphant o’er the powers of hell.
The wind may roar, the floods beset,
And rain impetuous, descend;
Yet will he not his own forget,
But love and save them to the end.
Surely the Son hath made us free,
Who earth, and heaven, and hell commands;
Our cause of triumph this - that we
Are graven on the Saviour’s hands.
To him who washed us in his blood,
And lifts apostate man to heaven,
And reconciles his sheep to God,
Be everlasting glory given.
August Toplady 1740 - 1778
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground his body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as he stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am his and he is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from his hand;
Till he returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I stand.
Keith Getty and Stuart Townend
In the cross of Christ I glory,
Towering o'er the wrecks of time;
All the light of sacred story
Gathers round its head sublime.
When the woes of life o'ertake me,
Hopes deceive and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me,
Lo! it glows with peace and joy.
When the sun of bliss is beaming
Light and love upon my way,
From the cross the radiance streaming
Adds new lustre to the day.
Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure,
By the cross are sanctified:
Peace is there that knows no measure,
Joys that through all time abide.
John Bowring 1792 - 1872
Is the rich man worth more than the poor man?
The stranger worth more than a friend?
Is a baby worth more than an old man?
Your beginning worth more than your end?
Is a President worth more than his assassin?
Does your value decrease with your time?
Like when Christ took the place of Barabbas,
Would you say he was wasting his time?
Well how much do you think you are worth, boy?
Will anyone stand up and say?
Would you say that a man is worth nothing
Till someone is willing to pay?
Suppose that you think that you matter,
Well how much do you matter to whom?
It's much easier at night when with friends and bright lights
Than much later alone in your room.
Do you think they'll miss one in a billion
When you finish this old human race?
Does it really make much of a difference
When your friends have forgotten your face?
Well how much do you think you are worth, boy?
Will anyone stand up and say?
Would you say that a man is worth nothing
Till someone is willing to pay?
If you heard that your life had been valued
And a price had been paid on the nail,
Would you ask what was traded, how much and who paid it,
Who was he, and what was his name?
If you heard that his name was called Jesus,
Would you say that the price was too dear?
Held to the cross, not by nails, but by love;
It was you broke his heart, not the spear!
Would you say you are worth what it cost him?
You say no, but the price stays the same.
If it don't make you cry, laugh it off, pass it by,
But remember the day when you throw it away
That he paid what he thought you were worth!
Graham Kendrick
I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
He loved me ere I knew him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus he bound me to him;
And round my heart still closely twine
Those ties which nought can sever;
For I am his and he is mine,
For ever and for ever.
I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
He bled, he died to save me:
And not alone the gift of life,
But his own self he gave me.
Naught that I have my own I call,
I hold it for the Giver:
My heart, my strength, my life, my all
Are his, and his for ever.
I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
All power to him is given,
To guard me on my onward course
And bring me safe to heaven.
Eternal glories gleam afar,
To nerve my faint endeavour;
So now to watch, to work, to war,
And then to rest for ever.
I've found a Friend; oh, such a Friend!
So kind and true and tender!
So wise a Counsellor and Guide,
So mighty a Defender!
From him who loves me now so well
What power my soul shall sever?
Shall life, or death, or earth, or hell?
No! I am his for ever.
James Small 1817 - 1888
Jesu, lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is nigh:
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide;
Oh, receive my soul at last.
Other refuge have I none;
Hangs my helpless soul on thee;
Leave, ah! Leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
All my help from thee I bring;
Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of thy wing.
Thou, O Christ! art all I want;
More than all in thee I find:
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
Vile and full of sin I am,
Though art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound,
Make and keep me pure within:
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of thee;
Spring thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Jesu, thy boundless love to me
No thought can reach, no tongue declare;
O knit my thankful heart to thee,
And reign without a rival there:
Thine wholly, thine alone, I am,
Be thou alone my constant flame.
O grant that nothing in my soul
May dwell but thy pure love alone;
O may thy love possess me whole,
My joy, my treasure, and my crown:
Strange flames far from heart remove;
My every act, word, thought be love.
O Love, how cheering is thy ray;
All pain before thy presence flies,
Care, anguish, sorrow, melt away,
Where'er thy healing beams arise:
O Jesu, nothing may I see,
Nothing desire, or seek, but thee.
Unwearied may I this pursue,
Dauntless to the high prize aspire;
Hourly within my soul renew
This holy flame, this heavenly fire;
And day and night be all my care
To guard the sacred treasure there.
Paul Gerhardt (Germany) 1607 - 1676
Jesus, all-atoning Lamb,
Thine, and only thine, I am:
Take my body, spirit soul;
Only thou possess the whole.
Thou my one thing needful be;
Let me ever cleave to thee;
Let me choose the better part;
Let me give thee all my heart.
Fairer than the sons of men,
Do not let me turn again,
Leave the fountain-head of bliss,
Stoop to creature happiness.
Whom have I on earth below?
Thee, and only thee, I know;
Whom have I in heaven but thee?
Thou art all in all to me.
All my treasure is above,
All my riches is thy love:
Who the worth of love can tell?
Infinite, unsearchable.
Thou, O Love, my portion art;
Lord, thou know'st my simple heart!
Other comforts I despise,
Love be all my paradise.
Nothing else can I require,
Love fills up my whole desire;
All thy other gifts remove,
Still thou giv'st me all in love.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788 P>
Jesus calls us o’er the tumult
Of our life’s wild, restless, sea;
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
Saying, “Christian, follow Me!”
Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world’s golden store,
From each idol that would keep us,
Saying, “Christian, love Me more!”
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still He calls, in cares and pleasures,
“Christian, love Me more than these!”
Jesus calls us! By Thy mercies,
Savior, may we hear Thy call,
Give our hearts to Thine obedience,
Serve and love Thee best of all.
C. F. Alexander 1818-1895
Jesus hath died that I might live,
Might live to God alone,
In him eternal life receive,
And be in spirit one.
Saviour, I thank thee for the grace,
The gift unspeakable!
And wait with arms of faith to embrace,
And all thy love to feel.
My soul breaks out in strong desire
The perfect bliss to prove;
My longing heart is all on fire
To be dissolved in love.
Give me thyself - from every boast,
From every sin set free;
Let all I am in thee be lost,
But give thyself to me.
Thy gift, alone, cannot suffice
Unless thyself be given;
Thy presence makes my paradise,
And where thou art is heaven.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Jesus immutably the same,
Thou true and living vine,
Around thy all-supporting stem,
My feeble arms I twine.
Quickened by thee, and kept alive,
I flourish and bear fruit;
My life I from thy sap derive,
My vigour from thy root.
Grafted in thee by grace alone,
In growth I daily rise;
And, raised on this Foundation-stone,
My top shall reach the skies.
I can do nothing without thee,
My strength is wholly thine;
Withered and barren should I be,
If severed from the vine.
Upon my leaf, when parched with heat,
Refreshing dew shall drop;
The plant, which thy right hand hath set,
Shall ne’er be rooted up.
Each moment watered by thy care,
And fenced with power divine,
Fruit to eternal life shall bear
The feeblest branch of thine.
Augustus Toplady 1740 - 1788
Jesus is King and I will extol him,
Give Him the glory and honour his name.
He reigns on high, enthroned in the heavens,
Word of the Father, exalted for us.
?
We have a hope that is steadfast and certain,
Gone through the curtain and touching the throne.
We have a Priest, who is there interceding,
Pouring his grace on our lives day by day.
We come to Him, our Priest and Apostle,
Clothed in His glory and bearing his name,
Laying our lives with gladness before him,
Filled with his Spirit, we worship the King.
Oh, Holy One, our hearts do adore you,
Thrilled with your goodness, we give you our praise.
Angels in light with worship surround him,
Jesus our Saviour, forever the same.
Wendy Churchill 2008
Jesus keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calv'ry's mountain.
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my ransomed soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.
Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning Star
Shed its beams around me.
Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadow o'er me.
Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.
Fanny Crosby 1820 - 1915
Jesus, let me ever be
Firmly grounded upon thee,
Ever in thy work abide,
Ever in thy wounds reside.
Plant, and root, and fix in me
All the mind that was in thee;
Settled peace I then shall find;
Jesu's is a quiet mind.
Anger I no more shall feel,
Always even, always still,
Meekly on my God reclined;
Jesu's is a gentle mind.
I shall suffer and fulfil
All my Father's gracious will,
Be in all alike resigned;
Jesu's is a patient mind.
When 'tis deeply rooted here
Perfect love shall cast out fear;
Fear doth servile spirits bind;
Jesu's is a noble mind.
I shall nothing know beside
Jesus, and him crucified;
Perfectly to him be joined,
Jesu's is a loving mind.
I shall triumph evermore,
Gratefully my God adore,
God so good, so true, so kind,
Jesu's is a thankful mind.
Lowly, loving, meek and pure,
I shall to the end endure,
Be no more to sin inclined;
Jesu's is a constant mind.
I shall fully be restored
To the image of my Lord,
Witnessing to all mankind,
Jesu's is a perfect mind.
Paul Gerhardt (Germany) 1607 - 1676
Jesus, Lord, I have a longing to be filled by only thee,
So my life may be a witness of thy great reality.
Spring, O spring up, Holy Spirit,
Well of life within my soul,
Spring thou up to life eternal,
Absolutely making whole.
Precious Lord, the world is waiting
For this mighty stream to flow,
So that life and health and gladness
Follow everywhere you go.
Joy Palmer (Exeter)
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Saviour, hide,
Till the storm of life be past;
Safe into the haven guide;
O receive my soul at last.
Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed,
All my help from thee I bring;
Cover my defenceless head
With the shadow of thy wing.
Thou, O Christ, art all I want,
More than all in thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint,
Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy name,
I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am;
Thou art full of truth and grace.
Plenteous grace with thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound,
Make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art,
Freely let me take of thee;
Spring thou up within my heart;
Rise to all eternity.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Jesus, the name high over all,
In hell, or earth, or sky;
Angels and men before it fall,
And devils fear and fly.
Jesus! the name to sinners dear,
The name to sinners given;
It scatters all their guilty fear,
It turns their hell to heaven.
Jesus! the prisoner's fetters breaks,
And bruises Satan's head;
Power into strengthless souls it speaks
And life into the dead.
O that the world might taste and see
The riches of his grace;
The arms of love that compass me
Would all mankind embrace.
His only righteousness I show,
His saving grace proclaim;
'Tis all my business here below
To cry, "Behold the Lamb!"
Happy, if with my latest breath
I might but gasp his name;
Preach him to all, and cry in death,
"Behold, behold the Lamb!"
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
Midst flaming worlds in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
Bold shall I stand in that great day,
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am,
From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
The holy, meek, unspotted Lamb,
Who from the Father's bosom came,
Who died for me, even me, to atone,
Now for my Lord and God I own.
Lord, I believe thy precious blood,
Which at the mercy seat of God
For ever doth for sinners plead,
For me, even for my soul, was shed.
Jesu, be endless praise to thee,
Whose boundless mercy hath for me,
For me and all thy hands have made,
An everlasting ransom paid.
Ah! give to all thy servants, Lord,
With power to speak thy gracious word,
That all who to thy wounds will flee,
May find eternal life in thee.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom love and power,
That mortals ever knew,
That angels ever bore:
All are too mean to speak his worth,
Too mean to set my Saviour forth.
Great prophet of my God,
My tongue would bless thy name;
By thee the joyful news
Of our salvation came:
The joyful news of sins forgiv'n,
Of hell subdued, and peace with heav'n.
Be thou my Counsellor,
My Pattern and my Guide;
And through this desert land
Still keep me near thy side:
O let my feet ne'er run astray,
Nor rove, nor seek the crooked way.
I love my Shepherd's voice;
His watchful eye shall keep
My wandering soul among
The thousands of his sheep:
He feeds his flock, he calls their names,
Bears in his arms the tender lambs.
Jesus, my great High Priest,
Offered his blood and died;
My guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice beside;
His powerful blood did once atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.
O thou Almighty Lord,
My Conqueror and my King!
Thy sceptre and thy sword,
Thy reign of grace, I sing:
Thine is the power: behold I sit
In willing bonds before thy feet.
Now let my soul arise
And tread the Tempter down;
My Captain leads me forth
To conquest and a crown:
March on, nor fear to win the day,
Though death and hell obstruct the way.
Should all the hosts of death,
And powers of hell unknown,
Put their most dreadful forms
Of rage and malice on,
I shall be safe; for Christ displays
Superior power and guardian grace.
Isaac Watts 1674 - 1748
Joy to the world; the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her king;
Let ev'ry heart prepare him room,
And heav'n and nature sing.
Joy to the world; The Saviour reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace;
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love.
Isaac Watts 1674 - 1748
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot;
To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt;
Fightings within, and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind;
Yes, all I need, in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now, to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Charlotte Elliot 1789 - 1871
Let earth and heaven combine,
Angels and men agree,
To praise in songs divine
The incarnate Deity,
Our God contracted to a span,
Incomprehensibly made man.
He laid his glory by,
He wrapped him in our clay;
Unmarked by human eye,
The latent Godhead lay;
Infant of days he here became,
And bore the mild Immanuel's name.
Unsearchable the love
That hath the Saviour brought;
The grace is far above
Or man or angels thought:
Suffice for us that God, we know,
Our God is manifest below.
He deigns in flesh to appear,
Widest extremes to join;
To bring our vileness near,
And make us all divine:
And we the life of God shall know,
For God is manifest below.
Made perfect first in love,
And sanctified by grace,
We shall from earth remove,
And see his glorious face:
Then shall his love be fully showed,
And man shall then be lost in God.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready.
There's no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you've been left behind
I wish we'd all been ready
A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready.
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and one's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready
There's no time to change your mind
The Son has come and you've been left behind.
I wish we'd all been ready
Life was filled with guns and war
And everyone got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready
Children died the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready.
There's no time to change your mind
How could you have been so blind
The Father spoke the demons died
The Son has come and you've been left behind
You've been left behind
You've been left behind.
Larry Norman
Lord, behold us with thy blessing
Once again assembled here;
Onward be our footsteps pressing
In Thy love, and faith, and fear;
Still protect us
By Thy presence ever near.
For Thy mercy we adore Thee,
For this rest upon our way;
Lord, again we bow before Thee,
Speed our labours day by day;
Mind and spirit
With Thy choicest gifts array.
Keep the spell of home affection
Still alive in every heart;
May its power, with mild direction,
Draw our love from self apart,
Till Thy children
Feel that Thou their Father art.
Break temptation’s fatal power,
Shielding all with guardian care,
Safe in every careless hour,
Safe from sloth and sensual snare;
Thou, our Saviour,
Still our failing strength repair.
Henry Buckoll 1803 - 1871
Lord, dismiss us with thy blessing,
Thanks for mercies past receive;
Pardon all, their faults confessing;
Time that’s lost may all retrieve;
May Thy children
Ne’er again Thy Spirit grieve.
Bless Thou all our days of leisure;
Help us selfish lures to flee;
Sanctify our every pleasure;
Pure and blameless may it be;
May our gladness
Draw us evermore to Thee.
By Thy kindly influence cherish
All the good we here have gained;
May all taint of evil perish
By Thy mightier power restrained;
Seek we ever
Knowledge pure and love unfeigned.
Let Thy father-hand be shielding
All who here shall meet no more;
May their seed-time past be yielding
Year by year a richer store;
Those returning,
Make more faithful than before.
[at School assembly we sang this hymn on the last morning of each term. It was always eagerly looked forward to! Henry Buckoll (1803 - 1871) also wrote the previous hymn to sing at the start of term. He was a master at Rugby School for 45 years]
Henry Buckoll 1803 - 1871
Lord, enthroned in heav'ly splendour,
First begotten from the dead,
Thou alone, our strong Defender,
Liftest up thy people's head.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Jesu, True and Living Bread!
Here our humblest homage pay we;
Here in loving reverence bow;
Here, for faith's discernment pray we,
Lest we fail to know thee now.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Thou art here, we ask not how.
Though the lowliest form doth veil thee
As of old in Bethlehem,
Here, as there, thine angels hail thee,
Branch and Flower of Jesse's stem.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
We in worship join with them.
Paschal Lamb, thine offering, finished
Once for all when thou wast slain,
In its fullness undiminished
Shall for evermore remain,
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Cleansing souls from every stain.
Life imparting Heavenly Manna,
Stricken Rock with streaming side,
Heav'n and earth with loud hosanna,
Worship thee, the Lamb who died.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Risen, ascended, glorified!
George Bourne 1840 - 1925
Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
Urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
Sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided,
Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.
Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
Speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
Teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us,
Lord of the word, receive your people's praise.
Lord, for our land, in this our generation,
Spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care;
For young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.
Lord, for our world; when we disown and doubt him,
Loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain;
Hungry and helpless, lost indeed without him,
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.
Lord, for ourselves; in living power remake us,
Self on the cross and Christ upon the throne;
Past put behind us, for the future take us,
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
Timothy Dudley-Smith 1969
Lord, I believe a rest remains
To all thy people known,
A rest where pure enjoyment reigns,
And thou art loved alone.
A rest, where all our soul's desire
Is fixed on things above;
Where fear and sin and grief expire,
Cast out by perfect love.
O that I now the rest might know,
Believe, and enter in!
Now, Saviour, now the power bestow,
And let me cease from sin.
Remove this hardness from my heart,
This unbelief remove;
To me the rest of faith impart,
The sabbath of thy love.
I would be thine, thou know'st I would,
And have thee all my own;
Thee, O my all-sufficient Good!
I want, and thee alone.
Thy name to me, thy nature grant;
This, only this be given;
Nothing beside my God I want,
Nothing in earth or heaven.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Lord I come, I confess
Bowing here, I find my rest
Without You, I fall apart
You're the one that guides my heart.
Lord, I need You, oh I need You
Every hour, I need You
My one defence, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You.
Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
And where You are, Lord I am free
Holiness is Christ in me.
So teach my song to rise to You
When temptation comes my way
And when I cannot stand, I'll fall on You
Jesus, You're my hope and stay.
Matt Maher
Loved with everlasting love,
Led by grace that love to know;
Spirit, breathing from above,
Thou hast taught me it is so.
Oh, this full and perfect peace!
Oh, this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease,
I am His, and He is mine.
Heaven above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen:
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,
Flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His, and He is mine.
Things that once were wild alarms
Cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms,
Pillowed on the loving breast.
Oh, to lie forever here,
Doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear,
I am His, and He is mine.
His forever, only His:
Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heaven and earth may fade and flee,
Firstborn light in gloom decline;
But, while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine.
Wade Robinson 1838 - 1876
Love moved thee to die;
And on this I rely,
My Saviour hath loved me, I cannot tell why:
But this I can find,
We two are so join’d
He’ll not be in glory and leave me behind.
NK
Love was when God became a man,
Locked in time and space, without rank or place.
Love was God born of Jewish kin;
Just a carpenter with some fishermen.
Love was when Jesus walked in history.
Lovingly He brought a new life that's free.
Love was God nailed to bleed and die,
To reach and love one such as I.
Love was when God became a man,
Down where I could see. Love that reached to me.
Love was God dying for my sin;
And so trapped was I, my whole world caved in.
Love was when Jesus met me now it's real.
Lovingly He came; I can feel he's real.
Love was God; only He would try to reach,
To love one such as I.
John Walvoord 1989
Low at thy feet, O Christ, we fall,
Enabled to confess,
And call thee by the Holy Ghost,
The Lord our Righteousness.
God over all Immanuel reigns,
With his great Father one;
The Brightness of his glory thou,
And partner of his throne.
Author and Finisher of faith
In all that know thy name;
A furious Lion to thy foes,
But to his friends a Lamb.
Sceptre of Israel, Prince of peace;
Immortal King of kings;
The Sun of righteousness that shines
With healing in his wings.
The Gift of God to fallen man;
The Lord of quick and dead;
A Well of life to fainting souls,
And their sustaining Bread.
Foundation of thy people’s joy,
Their pardon and their rest;
On earth our Sacrifice for sin,
In heaven our great High Priest.
The Lord of life, who suffered death
That we might heaven regain;
The source of blessing, who, on earth,
Was made a curse for man.
Augustus Toplady 1740 - 1778
Man of Sorrows! What a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned he stood;
Sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
Guilty, vile and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was he:
Full atonement - can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
Lifted up was he to die.
It is finished! was his cry;
Now in heaven exalted high:
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
When he comes, our glorious King,
All his ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we'll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
Philip Bliss 1838 - 1876
Many folks are sad and weary, and they often fret and pine,
For they read what many critics have to say
About the dear old Bible, blessed holy book divine,
But for me, I’ve proved its worth, and I can say,
I’m acquainted with the Author, and I know God’s Word is true;
In times of grief it brings relief and tells me what to do.
Now I dearly love its pages, for I’ve found the Rock of Ages;
I’m acquainted with the Author, and I know it’s true.
Seth Sykes 1892-1950
March on, my soul, with strength,
March forward, void of fear;
He who has led will lead,
Through each succeeding year;
And as you journey on your way,
His hand shall hold you day by day.
March on, my soul, with strength,
In ease you dare not dwell;
Your Master calls you forth;
Then up, and serve him well!
Take up your cross, take up your sword,
And fight the battles of your Lord!
March on, my soul, with strength,
With strength, but not your own;
The conquest you shall gain,
Through Christ your Lord alone;
His grace shall power your feeble arm,
His love preserve you safe from harm.
March on, my soul, with strength,
From strength to strength march on;
Warfare shall end at length,
Wll foes be overthrown.
And then, my soul, if faithful now,
The crown of life awaits your brow.
William Wright 1859-1924
Master, speak! Thy servant heareth,
Waiting for Thy gracious word,
Longing for Thy voice that cheereth
Master, let it now be heard.
I am list'ning, Lord, for Thee;
What hast Thou to say to me?
Speak to me by name, O Master,
Let me know it is to me;
Speak, that I may follow faster,
With a step more firm and free,
Where the Shepherd leads the flock
In the shadow of the Rock!
Master, speak! though least and lowest,
Let me not unheard depart;
Master, speak! for oh, Thou knowest
All the yearning of my heart.
Knowest all its truest need;
Speak! and make me blest indeed.
Master, speak! and make me ready,
When Thy voice is truly heard,
With obedience glad and steady,
Still to follow every word
I am listening, Lord, for Thee:
Master, speak, oh, speak to me!
Frances Havergal 1836 - 1879
Meekness and majesty, manhood and deity,
In perfect harmony, the Man who is God.
Lord of eternity dwells in humanity,
Kneels in humility and washes our feet.
O what a mystery, meekness and majesty.
Bow down and worship for this is our God.
Father's pure radiance, perfect in innocence,
Yet learns obedience to death on a cross.
Suffering to give us life, conquering through sacrifice,
And as they crucify, prays, "Father, forgive."
Wisdom unsearchable, God the invisible,
Love indestructible, in frailty appears.
Lord of infinity, stooping so tenderly,
Lifts our humanity to the heights of his throne.
Graham Kendrick
My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever-Living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that he died for me.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to him,
He'll never cast me out.
My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Saviour's Name,
Salvation through his blood.
My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost he came to save:
For me his precious blood he shed,
For me his life he gave.
Eliza Hewitt 1851 - 1920
My goal is God himself, not joy, nor peace,
Nor even blessing, but himself, my God:
'Tis his to lead me there, not mine, but his,
At any cost, dear Lord, by any road!
So faith bounds forward to its goal in God,
And love can trust her Lord to lead her there;
Upheld by him, my soul is following hard,
Till God hath full fulfilled my deepest prayer.
No matter if the way be sometimes dark,
No matter though the cost be ofttimes great,
He knoweth how I best shall reach the mark;
The way that leads to Him must needs be strait.
One thing I know—I cannot say Him nay;
On thing I do—I press toward my Lord,
My God, my glory here from day to day,
And in the glory there my Great Reward.
Frances Brook 1870 - ?
My God! I know, I feel thee mine,
And will not quit my claim,
Till all I have is lost in thine
And all renewed I am.
I hold thee with a trembling hand,
But will not let thee go,
Till steadfastly by faith I stand
And all thy goodness know.
Jesus, thine all-victorious love
Shed in my heart abroad;
Then shall my feet no longer rove,
Rooted and fixed in God.
O that in me the sacred fire
Might now begin to glow,
Burn up the dross of base desire,
And make the mountains flow!
O that it now from heaven might fall,
And all my sins consume!
Come, Holy Ghost, for thee I call,
Spirit of burning come!
Refining Fire, go through my heart,
Illuminate my soul;
Scatter thy life through every part,
And sanctify the whole.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to veil his face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, his covenant and blood,
Support me in the 'whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in him be found;
Dressed in his righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Edward Mote 1797 - 1874
My soul with blessings unconfined
Thy tender care supplies;
Thyself the Fountain Head from whence
These blessings first arise.
May I thy gracious gifts receive
With gratitude and joy,
And in thy just, deserved praise
Each thankful hour employ.
And may thy condescending love
That gratitude receive,
Which though a trifling sacrifice,
Is all a worm can give.
Augustus Toplady 1740 - 1778
No more veil! God bids me enter
By the new and living way;
Not in trembling hope I venture,
Boldly I His call obey:
There, with Him, my God I meet,
God upon the mercy seat!
In the robes of spotless whiteness,
With the blood of priceless worth.
he has gone into that brightness,
Christ rejected from the earth –
Christ accepted there on high.
And in Him do I draw nigh.
Oh, the welcome I have found there,
God in all His love made known!
Oh, the glories that surround there,
Those accepted in His Son!
Who can tell the depths of bliss
Spoken by the Father’s kiss?
One with Him, O Lord, before Thee,
There I live, and yet not I;
Christ it is who there adores Thee;
Who more dear, or who more nigh?
All the Father’s heart mine own –
Mine – and yet His son’s alone.
All the worth I have before Him
Is the value of the Blood;
I present when I adore Him,
Christ the first-fruits unto God;
Him with joy doth God behold,
Thus is my acceptance told.
Frances Bevan 1827-1909
No other sun
To light the day,
No other Shepherd
For the way.
No other shield
To guard the soul.
No other name
To make us whole.
No other Helper
When distressed,
No other pillow
But His breast.
No other gate
To enter in,
No other pardon
For our sin.
No other blood
That we can plead--
Thou, Lord, art ever
All we need.
NK
No strength of nature can suffice
To serve the Lord aright;
And what she has, she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.
How long beneath the Law I lay
In bondage and distress!
I toiled the precept to obey,
But toiled without success.
Then to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do;
Now, if I feel its power within,
I feel I hate it too.
Then all my servile works were done
A righteousness to raise;
Now, freely chosen in the Son,
I freely choose His ways.
What shall I do was then the word,
That I may worthier grow?
What shall I render to the Lord?
Is my inquiry now.
To see the Law by Christ fulfilled,
And hear His pardoning voice;
Changes a slave into a child,
And duty into choice.
William Cooper 1731 - 1800
Nothing either great or small—
Nothing, sinner, no;
Jesus did it, did it all,
Long, long ago.
"It is finished!" yes, indeed,
Finished every jot:
Sinner, this is all you need—
Tell me, is it not?
When He, from His lofty throne,
Stooped to do and die,
Everything was fully done;
Hearken to His cry:
Weary, working, burdened one,
Wherefore toil you so?
Cease your doing; all was done
Long, long ago.
Till to Jesus' work you cling
By a simple faith,
“Doing” is a deadly thing—
“Doing” ends in death.
Cast your deadly "doing" down—
Down at Jesus' feet;
Stand in Him, in Him alone,
Gloriously complete
James Proctor
None is like Jeshurun's God,
So great, so strong, so high;
Lo! he spreads his wings abroad,
He rides upon the sky:
Israel is his first-born son;
God, the Almighty God, is thine;
See him to thy help come down,
The excellence divine.
Thee the great Jehovah deigns
To succour and defend;
Thee the eternal God sustains,
Thy Maker and thy Friend:
Israel, what hast thou to dread?
Safe from all impending harms,
Round thee and beneath are spread
The everlasting arms.
God is thine; disdain to fear
The enemy within:
God shall in thy flesh appear,
And make an end of sin;
God, the man of sin shall slay,
Fill thee with triumphant joy;
God shall thrust him out and say:
Destroy them all, destroy!
All the struggle then is o'er,
And wars and fightings cease;
Israel then shall sin no more,
But dwell in perfect peace:
All his enemies are gone;
Sin shall have in him no part;
Israel now shall dwell alone,
With Jesus in his heart.
Blest, O Israel, art thou!
What people is like thee?
Saved from sin by Jesus, now
Thou art and still shalt be;
Jesus is thy sevenfold shield,
Jesus is thy flaming sword;
Earth, and hell, and sin shall yield
To God's almighty Word.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain
Could give the guilty conscience peace
Or wash away the stain.
But Christ, the heav'nly Lamb,
Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler name
And richer blood than they.
My faith would lay her hand
On that dear head of Thine,
While, like a penitent, I stand,
And there confess my sin.
My soul looks back to see
The burdens Thou didst bear
When hanging on the cursed tree,
And hopes her guilt was there.
Believing, we rejoice
To see the curse remove;
We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice,
And sing His bleeding love.
Isaac Watts 1674 - 1748
O come and dwell in me
Spirit of power within!
And bring the glorious liberty
From sorrow, fear and sin.
The seed of sin's disease,
Spirit of health, remove,
Spirit of finished holiness
Spirit of perfect love.
Hasten the joyful day
Which shall my sins consume,
When old things shall be passed away,
And all things new become.
I want the witness, Lord,
That all I do is right,
According to thy will and word,
Well-pleasing in thy sight.
I ask no higher state;
Indulge me but in this,
And soon or later then translate
To my eternal bliss.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
O for a heart to praise my God,
A heart from sin set free!
A heart that always feels the blood
So freely spilt for me!
A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
My great Redeemer's throne,
Where only Christ is heard to speak,
Where Jesus reigns alone.;
A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
Believing, true and clean;
Which neither life nor death can part
From him that dwells within;
A heart in every thought renewed,
And full of love divine;
Perfect, and right, and pure, and good,
A copy, Lord, of thine!
My heart, thou know'st, can never rest,
Till thou create my peace;
Till, of my Eden re-possessed,
From every sin I cease.
Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart!
Come quickly from above,
Write thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new, best name of love.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!
Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
'Tis music in the sinner's ears,
'Tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
See all your sins on Jesus laid:
The Lamb of God was slain,
His soul was once an offering made
For every soul of man.
He speaks, and listening to his voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.
Hear him, ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Saviour come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.
My gracious master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honours of thy name.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while life shall last,
And our eternal home.
Isaac Watts 1674 - 1748
O great God of highest heaven
Occupy my lowly heart
Own it all and reign supreme
Conquer every rebel power
Let no vice or sin remain
That resists Your holy war
You have loved and purchased me
Make me Yours forevermore.
I was blinded by my sin
Had no ears to hear Your voice
Did not know Your love within
Had no taste for heaven's joys
Then Your Spirit gave me life
Opened up Your Word to me
Through the gospel of Your Son
Gave me endless hope and peace.
Help me now to live a life
That's dependent on Your grace
Keep my heart and guard my soul
From the evils that I face
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me.
You are worthy to be praised
With my every thought and deed
O great God of highest heaven
Glorify Your Name through me.
Fernando Ortega / Mac Powell
O Jesus I have promised to serve thee to the end
Be now and ever near me, my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle if thou are by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if thou will be my Guide.
O let me feel thee near me; the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw thou nearer and shield my soul from sin.
O let me hear thee speaking in accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
And speak to make me listen, O Guardian of my soul.
O Jesus, thou have promised to all who follow thee
That where thou are in glory there shall your servant be;
And, Jesus, I have promised to serve thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow my Master and my Friend.
O let me see your footmarks, and in them plant my own;
My hope to follow duly is in your strength alone.
O guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
And then in heaven receive me, my Saviour and my Friend.
John Bode 1816 - 1874
O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.
O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth;
For Christ is born of Mary;
And, gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.
How silently, how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven,
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still
The dear Christ enters in.
O holy child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in;
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord, Immanuel.
Philips Brooks 1835 - 1893
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee
How great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee
How great thou art, how great thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.
And when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God how great thou art.
Carl Boberg (Sweden) 1859 - 1940
O Lord our hearts are yearning
For the promised latter rain,
When the Jew and Gentile gather
In the Church restored again;
There will be no more separation,
God's people shall be one,
Their praise ascend to heaven,
God's will on earth be done.
And the rivers shall flow in the desert
And the light from heaven descend,
For the earth shall be filled with his glory
For ever, world without end.
He will heal the broken hearted,
He will cause the blind to see,
He will make the lame to walk again,
He will set your captives free,
Every prison shall be open
Every pain he'll take away,
And the Lord will reign in Zion,
That will be a glorious day.
Every valley shall be exalted,
Every mountain be made low,
The crooked shall be straight again,
And the Spirit of God shall flow.
Just to see his heart and glory,
Ever filled with love divine,
Just to hear his voice from heaven;
I have spoken, thou art mine.
NK
O Love divine! what hast thou done?
The immortal God hath died for me!
The Father's co-eternal Son
Bore all my sins upon the tree;
The immortal God for me hath died!
My Lord, my Love is crucified.
Behold him, all ye that pass by,
The bleeding Prince of Life and peace!
Come, sinners, see your Maker die,
And say, was ever grief like his?
Come, feel with me his blood applied:
My Lord, my Love is crucified.
Is crucified for me and you,
To bring us rebels back to God:
Believe, believe the record true,
Ye all are bought with Jesu's blood,
Pardon for all flows from his side:
My Lord, my Love is crucified.
Then let us sit beneath his Cross,
And gladly catch the healing stream,
All things from him account but loss,
And give up all our hearts to him;
Of nothing think or speak beside:
My Lord, my Love is crucified.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
O may I never rest till I find rest in Thee
Till, of my pardon here possessed I feel thy love for me!
Unseal my darkened eyes, my fetered feet unbind;
The lame shall, when thou say’st “Arise” run swifter than the hind.
O draw the alien near, bend the obdurate neck!
O melt the flint into a tear, and teach the dumb to speak!
Turn not thy face away, thy look can make me clean;
Me in thy wedding robe array, and cover all my sin.
Tell me, my God, for whom thy precious blood was shed;
For sinners? Lord, as such I come, For such the Saviour bled.
Then raise a fallen wretch, display thy grace in me;
I am not out of mercy’s reach, nor too far gone for thee.
Thou quickly wilt forgive, my Lord will not delay;
Jesus, to thee the time I leave, and wait the accepted day.
I now rejoice in hope that I shall be made clean;
Thy grace shall surely lift me up, above the reach of sin.
Hast thou not died for me, and called me from below?
O help me to lay hold on thee, and never let thee go!
Through every thorny path my Saviour I’ll pursue;
Awhile submit to bear his wrath, then share his glory too.
Augustus Toplady 1740 - 1778
O teach me what it meaneth, that cross uplifteth high,
With One - the Man of Sorrows - condemned to bleed and die.
O teach me what it cost thee to make a sinner whole;
And teach me, Saviour, teach me the value of a soul.
O teach me what it meaneth, that sacred crimson tide,
The blood and water flowing from thine own wounded side.
Teach me that if none other had sinned, but I alone,
Yet still, thy blood, Lord Jesus, thine only, must atone.
O teach me what it meaneth, thy love beyond compare,
The love that reaches deeper than depths of self-despair.
Yea, teach me, 'til there gloweth in this cold heart of mine
Some feeble, pale reflection of that pure love of thine.
O teach me what it meaneth, for I am full of sin;
And grace alone can reach me, and love alone can win.
O teach me, for I need thee, I have no hope beside,
The chief of all the sinners for whom the Saviour died.
O teach me what it meaneth the rest which Thou dost give
To all the heavy-laden who look to Thee and live.
Because I am a rebel thy pardon I receive
Because Thou dost command me, I can, I do believe.
O infinite Redeemer, I bring no other plea,
Because thou dost invite me I cast myself on thee.
Because thou dost accept me I love and I adore;
Because thy love constraineth, I'll praise thee evermore.
(The following last 4 verses are not normally quoted - origin unknown)
O what a mystery I see, what marvellous design,
That God should come as one of us a Son in David's line.
Flesh of our flesh, of woman born, our human-ness he owns;
And for a world of wickedness his guiltless blood atones.
This perfect man, incarnate God, by selfless sacrifice
Destroyed our sinful history, all fallen Adam's curse.
In him the curse to blessing turns, my barren spirit flowers,
As over the shattered power of sin the cross of Jesus towers.
By faith, a child of his, I stand, an heir of David's line,
Royal descendant by his blood destined by Love's design.
Fathers of faith, my fathers now! because in Christ I am,
And all God's promises in him to me are 'Yes, Amen!'
No more then as a child of earth must I my lifetime spend -
His history, his destiny are mine to apprehend.
O what a Saviour, what a Lord, O Master, Brother, Friend!
What miracle has joined me to this Life that never ends!
Lucy Bennett 1850 - 1927
O the love that drew salvation's plan,
O the grace that brought it down to man,
O the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary.
Mercy there was great and grace was free,
Pardon there was multiplied for me
There my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary.
William Newell 1868-1956
Oh, the bitter shame and sorrow,
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Saviour's pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered,
All of self, and none of Thee,
All of self and none of Thee.
Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on the cursed tree;
Heard Him pray, Forgive them, Father,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
Some of self, and some of Thee,
Some of self, and some of Thee.
Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and ah! so patient,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
Less of self, and more of Thee,
Less of self, and more of Thee.
Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered;
Grant me now my heart's petition,
None of self, and all of Thee,
None of self, and all of Thee.
Theodore Monod 1836 - 1921
Oh, the love that sought me!
Oh, the blood that bought me!
Oh, the grace that brought me to the fold,
Wondrous grace that brought me to the fold.
Adoniram Gordon 1836 - 1895
O thou who camest from above
The pure celestial fire to impart,
Kindle a flame of sacred love
On the mean altar of my heart.
There let it for thy glory burn
With inextinguishable blaze;
And trembling to its source return,
In humble prayer and fervent praise.
Jesus, confirm my heart's desire
To work, and speak, and think for thee;
Still let me guard the holy fire,
And still stir up thy gift in me.
Ready for all thy perfect will,
My acts of faith and love repeat,
Till death thy endless mercies seal,
And make the sacrifice complete.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
O what shall I do my Saviour to praise,
So faithful and true, so plenteous in grace,
So strong to deliver, so good to redeem
The weakest believer that hangs upon him.
How happy the man whose heart is set free,
The people that can be joyful in thee;
Their joy is to walk in the light of thy face,
And still they are talking of Jesus's grace.
Their daily delight shall be in thy name;
They shall as their right thy righteousness claim;
Thy righteousness wearing, and cleansed by thy blood,
Bold shall they appear in the presence of God.
For Jesus, my Lord, is now my defence;
I trust in his word, none plucks me from thence;
Since I have found favour, he all things will do;
My King and my Saviour shall make me anew.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
O when wilt thou my Saviour be!
O when shall I be clean!
The true eternal Sabbath see,
A perfect rest from sin!
Jesus! the sinner's rest thou art,
From guilt, and fear, and pain;
While thou art absent from my heart,
I look for rest in vain!
The consolations of thy word
My soul have long upheld;
The faithful promise of the Lord
Shall surely be fulfilled:
I look to my incarnate God,
Till he his work begin,
And wait till his redeeming blood
Shall cleanse me from all sin.
His great salvation I shall know,
And perfect liberty;
Onward to sin he cannot go,
Who’er abides in thee.
Added to the Redeemer’s fold,
I shall in him rejoice;
I all his glory shall behold,
And hear my Shepherd's voice.
Augustus Toplady 1740 - 1778
O Word of God incarnate, O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth unchanged, unchanging, O Light of our dark sky:
We praise You for the radiance that from the hallowed page,
A Lantern to our footsteps, shines on from age to age.
The Church from You, our Saviour, received the Gift divine,
And still that Light is lifted over all the earth to shine.
It is the sacred Vessel where gems of truth are stored;
It is the heaven drawn Picture of Christ, the living Word.
The Scripture is a banner before God's host unfurled;
It is a shining Beacon above the darkling world.
It is the Chart and Compass that o'er life's surging tide,
Mid mists and rocks and quicksands, to You, O Christ, will guide.
William How 1823 - 1897
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He'll call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I'll share.
George Bennard 1873 - 1958
On Calvary there stood a Cross,
And nailed thereon was One
Who was the bearer of my sin,
God’s well-beloved Son.
There the Redeemer gave His blood
To ransom me from sin,
And made an end of all my guilt,
And brought redemption in.
Upon that Cross, that bitter Cross,
My weight of guilt He bore,
Secured a clearance for my sins;
My soul can ask no more.
Before that Cross I weep and pray,
And worship and adore,
And God’s free grace I will extol
And laud forevermore.
Elisha Hoffman 1839 - 1929
Only by grace can we enter
Only by grace can we stand
Not by our human endeavour
But by the blood of the Lamb.
Into Your presence You call us
Into Your presence You draw us
And now by Your grace we come
Now by Your grace we come
Lord if You mark our transgressions
Who would stand
Thanks to Your grace we are cleansed
By the blood of the Lamb
Gerrit Gustafson
Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.
Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus' bosom naught but calm is found.
Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?
In Jesus' keeping we are safe and they.
Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and he is on the throne.
Peace, perfect peace, death shadowing us and ours?
Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers.
It is enough; earth's struggles soon shall cease,
And Jesus call us to heaven's perfect peace.
Edward Bickersteth 1825 - 1906
Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
To his feet your tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore his praises sing.
Praise him, Praise him, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King!
Praise him for his grace and favour
To his people in distress.
Praise him, still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Praise him, Praise him, alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness!
Fatherlike he tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame he knows.
In his hand he gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Praise him, Praise him, alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows!
Frail as summer’s flow’r we flourish,
Blows the wind and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish,
Our God lives unchanging on.
Praise Him, praise Him, alleluia!
Praise the high Eternal One!
Angels, help us to adore him;
You behold him face to face.
Sun and moon, bow down before him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Praise him, Praise him, alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace!
Henry Lyte 1793 - 1847
Praise the Saviour, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
All we are and have.
Jesus is the name that charms us;
He for conflicts fits and arms us;
Nothing moves and nothing harms us
When we trust in Him.
Trust in Him, ye saints, forever;
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.
Keep us, Lord, oh, keep us cleaving
To Thyself and still believing,
Till the hour of Thy receiving
The victorious Bride.
Then we shall be where we would be;
Then we shall be what we should be;
Things which are not now, nor could be,
Then shall be our own.
Thomas Kelly 1769 - 1855
Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Uttered or unexpressed;
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast.
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near.
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try,
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high.
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
His watchword at the gates of death:
He enters heaven with prayer.
Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways;
While angels in their songs rejoice,
And cry, 'Behold, he prays!
The saints in prayer appear as one,
In word and deed and mind;
While with the Father and the Son
Sweet fellowship they find.
Nor prayer is made on earth alone:
The Holy Spirit pleads,
And Jesus on the eternal throne
For sinners intercedes.
O Thou by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray!
James Montgomery 1771 - 1854
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful,
Jesus will save.
Though they are slighting Him,
Still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
He will forgive if they only believe.
Down in the human heart,
Crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.
Rescue the perishing,
Duty demands it;
Strength for thy labour the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wanderer a Saviour has died.
Fanny Crosby 1869
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee!
Let the water and the blood,
From thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
Not the labours of my hands,
Can fulfil thy law's demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears for ever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling;
Naked come to thee for dress;
Helpless look to thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Saviour, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See thee on thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee.
Augustus Toplady 1747 - 1778
Saviour of all, to thee we bow,
And own thee faithful to thy word;
We hear thy voice, and open now
Our hearts to entertain our Lord.
Come in, come in, thou heavenly guest,
Delight in what thyself hast given;
On thy own gifts and graces feast,
And make the contrite heart thy heaven.
Smell the sweet odour of our prayers,
Our sacrifice of praise approve,
And treasure up our gracious tears,
And rest in thy redeeming love.
Beneath thy shadow let us sit,
Call us thy friends, and love, and bride,
And bid us freely drink and eat
Thy dainties, and be satisfied.
O let us on thy fulness feed,
And eat thy flesh, and drink thy blood!
Jesu, thy blood is drink indeed,
Jesu, thy flesh is angels' food.
The heavenly manna faith imparts,
Faith makes thy fulness all our own;
We feed upon thee in our hearts,
And find that heaven and thou are one.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Saviour, Prince of Israel's race,
See me from thy lofty throne;
Give the sweet relenting grace,
Soften this obdurate stone;
Stone to flesh, O God convert;
Cast a look, and break my heart.
By thy Spirit, Lord reprove,
All my inmost sins reveal,
Sins against thy light and love
Let me see, and let me feel;
Sins that crucified my God,
Spilt again thy precious blood.
Jesu, seek thy wandering sheep,
Make me restless to return;
Bid me look on thee, and weep,
Bitterly as Peter, mourn,
Till I say, by grace restored,
Now thou know'st I love thee Lord!
Might I in thy sight appear
As the publican distressed,
Stand, not daring to draw near,
Smite on my unworthy breast,
Groan the sinner's only plea,
God, be merciful to me!
O remember me for good,
Passing through this mortal vale;
Show me the atoning blood,
When my strength and spirit fail;
Give my gasping soul to see
Jesus crucified for me!
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Sing we the King who is coming to reign,
Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain;
Righteousness, peace then His empire shall bring,
Joy to the nations when Jesus is King.
Come let us sing: Praise to our King,
Jesus our King, Jesus our King:
This is our song, who to Jesus belong:
Glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.
All men shall dwell in His marvelous light,
Races long severed His love shall unite,
Justice and truth from His scepter shall spring,
Wrong shall be ended when Jesus is King.
All shall be well in His kingdom of peace,
Freedom shall flourish and wisdom increase,
Foe shall be friend when His triumph we sing,
Sword shall be sickle when Jesus is King.
Knowledge and fear of the Lord then shall be
As the deep waters that cover the sea;
All things shall be in the splendor of spring
And all harmonious when Jesus is King.
Kingdom of Christ, for thy coming we pray,
Hasten, O Father, the dawn of the day
When this new song Thy creation shall sing,
Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King.
Charles Silvester Horne 1865-1914
Soon and for ever the breaking of day
Shall chase all the night-clouds of sorrow away;
Soon and for ever we'll see as we're seen,
And know the deep meaning of things that have been,
Where fightings without and conflicts within
Shall weary no more in the warfare with sin,
Where tears and where fears and where death shall be never,
Christians with Christ shall be soon and for ever!
Soon and for ever, such promise our trust,
Though ashes to ashes, and dust be to dust,
Soon and for ever our union shall be
Made perfect, our glorious Redeemer, in Thee;
When the cares and the sorrows of time shall be o'er,
Its pangs and its partings remembered no more,
Where life cannot fail and where death cannot sever,
Christians with Christ shall be soon and for ever!
Soon and for ever the work shall be done,
The warfare accomplished, the victory won;
Soon and for ever the soldier lay down
The sword for a harp, the cross for a crown;
Then droop not in sorrow, despond not in fear,
A glorious to-morrow is bright'ning and near,
When, blessed reward for each faithful endeavour,
Christians with Christ shall be soon and for ever!
J.S.B. Monsell 1811-1875
Speak, Lord, in thy stillness,
While I wait on thee;
Hushed my heart to listen
In expectancy.
Speak, O blessed Master,
In this quiet hour;
Let me see thy face, Lord,
Feel thy touch of power.
For the words thou speakest,
They are life indeed;
Living bread from heaven,
Now my spirit feed.
Satiate my being,
With thy fullness fill;
As the dew descending,
Let thy speech distil.
All to thee is yielded,
I am not mine own;
Blissful, glad surrender,
I am thine alone.
Speak, thy servant heareth;
Be not silent, Lord,
Waits my soul upon thee
For the quickening word.
Fill me with the knowledge
Of thy glorious will;
All thine own good pleasure
In thy child fulfil.
Like a watered garden
Full of fragrance rare,
Lingering in thy presence,
Let my life appear.
Emily Crawford 1864 - 1927
Spirit of faith, come down,
Reveal the things of God;
And make to us the Godhead known,
And witness with the blood.
'Tis thine the blood to apply,
And give us eyes to see
Who did for every sinner die
Hath surely died for me.
No man can truly say
That Jesus is the Lord,
Unless thou take the veil away,
And breathe the living word;
Then, only then, we feel
Our interest in the blood,
And cry with joy unspeakable:
Thou art my Lord, my God!
O that the world might know
The all-atoning Lamb!
Spirit of faith, descend, and show
The virtue of his name;
The grace which all may find,
The saving power impart;
And testify to all mankind,
And speak to every heart.
Inspire the living faith,
Which whosoe'r receives,
The witness in himself he hath,
And consciously believes;
The faith that conquers all,
And doth the mountain move,
And saves whoe'er on Jesus call,
And perfects them in love.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Surely Christ thy griefs hath borne,
Weeping soul, no longer mourn;
View him bleeding on the tree,
Pouring out his life for thee;
There they every sin he bore;
Weeping soul, lament no more.
All thy crimes on him were laid;
See upon his blameless head
Wrath its utmost vengeance pours,
Due to my offence and yours;
Wounded in our stead, he is;
Bruised for our iniquities.
Weary sinner, keep thine eyes
On the atoning sacrifice;
There the incarnate Deity
Numbered with transgressors see;
There his Father’s absence mourns,
Nailed and bruised and crowned with thorns.
See thy God his head bow down;
Hear the Man of sorrows groan;
For thy ransom, there condemned;
Stripped, derided, and blasphemed,
Bleeds the guiltless for th’ unclean;
Made an offering for thy sin.
Cast thy guilty soul on him,
Find him mighty to redeem;
At his feet thy burden lay,
Look thy doubts and cares away;
Now by faith the Son embrace,
Plead his promise, trust his grace.
Lord, thy arm must be revealed,
Ere I can by faith be healed;
Since I scarce can look to thee,
Cast a gracious eye on me!
At thy feet myself I lay:
Shine, O shine my fears away!
Augustus Toplady 1747 - 1778
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to thee.
Take my moments and my days;
Let them flow in endless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for thee.
Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from thee.
Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is thine own;
It shall be thy royal throne.
Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for thee.
Frances Havergal 1836 - 1879
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide with him always, and feed on his word,
Make friends of God's children; help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone.,
By looking to Jesus, like him thou shalt be,
Thy friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let him be thy guide,
And run not before him, whatever betide;
In joy or in sorrow still follow thy Lord,
And looking to Jesus, still trust in his word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul;
Each thought and each temper beneath his control;
Thus led by his Spirit to foudations of love,
Thou soon shall be fitted for service above.
William Longstaff 1822 - 1894
Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word!
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus
Sang, as they welcomed his birth,
"Glory to God in the highest,
Peace and good tidings to earth."
Tell me the story of Jesus,
Write on my heart every word!
Tell me the story most precious,
Sweetest that ever was heard.
Fasting alone in the desert,
Tell of the days that he passed;
How he was tried and was tempted,
Yet was triumphant at last,
Tell of the years of his labours,
Tell of the sorrows he bore;
He was despised and afflicted,
Homeless, rejected and poor.
Tell of the cross where they nailed him,
Dying in anguish and pain;
Tell of the grave where they laid him,
Tell how he liveth again.
Love, in that story so tender,
Clearer than ever I see;
Stay, let me weep while you whisper,
Love paid the ransom for me!
Fanny Crosby 1820 - 1915
The Court of Heaven was duly set,
The Judges took their place,
The prisoner was myself, a son
Of Adam’s ruined race.
The Prosecutor read the charge,
The witnesses were sworn,
The evidence was clear and plain;
And there I stood, forlorn.
'I move for sentence,' said the Law,
'My claims must honoured be,
"The soul that sinneth, it shall die"
Has long been claimed by me.’
The Righteousness a verdict gave,
And Truth concurred as well;
While Retribution hastened near
To drag me down to Hell.
Then, Mercy raised her voice, so soft,
And craved a brief delay
Till Grace, my Advocate, should speak,
Who rose, and thus did say:
'My Lords, I own your judgement just,
And true in every sense,
The Prisoner owns his guilt, and brings,
No plea of self-defence.'
'But in the records of this Court
I find the statement given
That Christ, the Son of God, Most High,
Went down to earth from heaven.
That there he shed his precious blood
For sinners on the Tree,
And in his name, I therefore claim
The prisoner should go free.'
The Judges rose in solemn state;
Declared that I was free,
By virtue of the One who died
For me on Calvary.
And ever since that happy day
It’s been my joy to tell
The merits of the Saviour’s death
That saved my soul from Hell.
Leslie Greening
The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never.
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth;
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish, oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me;
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death's dark vale I fear no ill,
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spreadst a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and oh, what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the length of days,
thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house forever.
H.W.Baker 1821-1877
The sands of time are sinking,
The dawn of heaven breaks;
The summer morn I've sighed for,
The fair sweet morn awakes.
Dark, dark hath been the midnight,
But dayspring is at hand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
The King there, in his beauty,
Without a veil is seen;
It were a well-spent journey,
Though seven deaths lay between:
The Lamb, with his fair army,
Doth on Mount Zion stand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
O Christ, he is the fountain,
The deep, sweet well of love;
The streams on earth I've tasted,
More deep I'll drink above:
There to an ocean fulness,
His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
With mercy and with judgement,
My web of time he wove;
And aye the dews of sorrow
Were lustered with his love;
I'll bless the hand that guided,
I'll bless the heart that planned,
When throned where glory dwelleth
In Immanuel's land.
The bride eyes not her garment,
But her dear Bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze at glory,
But on my King of grace.
Not at the crown he giveth,
But on his piercéd hand:
The Lamb is all the Glory
Of Immanuel's land.
I've wrestled on towards heaven,
'Gainst storm and wind and tide;
Now, like a weary traveller
That leaneth on his Guide,
Amid the shades of evening,
While sinks life's lingering sand,
I hail the glory dawning
From Immanuel's land.
Samuel Rutherford 1600 - 1661
Thee, Jesus, full of truth and grace,
Thee, Saviour, we adore,
Thee in affliction's furnace praise,
And magnify thy power.
Thy power, in human weakness shown,
Shall make us all entire;
We now thy guardian presence own,
And walk unburned in fire.
Thee, Son of Man, by faith we see,
And glory in our Guide;
Surrounded and upheld by thee,
The fiery test abide.
The fire our graces shall refine,
Till, moulded from above,
We bear the character divine,
The stamp of perfect love.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
There is a fountain filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel's veins;
And sinners, plunged beneath that flood,
Lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.
O dying Lamb, thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed church of God
Be saved to sin no more.
E'er since, by faith, I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme
And shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song
I'll sing thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue
Lies silent in the grave.
William Cooper 1731 - 1800
There is a green hill far away,
Outside a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
Who died to save us all.
We may not know, we cannot tell
What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.
He died that we might be forgiv'n,
He died to make us good,
That we might go at last to Heav'n,
Saved by His precious blood.
There was no other good enough,
To pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate
Of Heav'n and let us in.
Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved,
And we must love Him too;
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.
C F Alexander 1818 - 1895
There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One.
Thank you, O my Father for giving us your Son,
And leaving your Spirit till the work on earth is done.
Jesus, my Redeemer, name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, O for sinners slain.
When I stand in Glory, I will see his face,
And there I'll serve my King forever in that Holy Place.
Melody Green
There is singing up in heaven such as we have never known,
Where the angels sing the praises of the Lamb upon the throne,
Their sweet harps are ever tuneful and their voices always clear,
O that we might be more like them while we serve the Master here!
Holy, holy, holy is what the angels sing,
And I expect to help them make the courts of heaven ring;
But when I sing redemption's story they will fold their wings,
For angels never feel the joys that our salvation brings.
But I hear another anthem blending voices clear and strong,
"Unto Him that hath redeemed us and hath bought us," is the song;
We have come thro' tribulations to this land so fair and bright,
In the fountain freely flowing He hath made our garments white.
Then the angels stand and listen, for they cannot join that song
Like the sound of many waters by that happy, blood-washed throng;
For they sing about great trials, battles fought and vict'ries won,
And they praise their great Redeemer who hath said to them, "Well done!"
So, although I'm not an angel, yet I know that over there
I will join a blessed chorus that the angels cannot share;
I will sing about my Saviour who upon dark Calvary
Freely pardoned my transgressions, died to set a sinner free.
Johnson Oatman 1856 - 1922
There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold;
But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold;
Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender Shepherd's care.
"Lord, thou hast here thy ninety and nine,
Are they not enough for thee?"
But the Shepherd made answer: "This of mine
Has wandered away from me;
And although the road be rough and steep,
I go to the desert to find my sheep."
But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed;
Nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed through,
Ere he found his sheep that was lost:
Out in the desert he heard its cry,
Sick and helpless and ready to die.
"Lord, whence are those blood-drops all the way,
That mark out the mountains track?"
"They were shed for one who had gone astray,
Ere the Shepherd could bring him back."
"Lord, whence are thy hands so rent and torn?"
"They are pierced tonight by many a thorn."
And all through the mountains, thunder-riven,
And up from the rocky steep,
There rose a cry to the gate of heaven,
"Rejoice, I have found my sheep!"
And the angels echoed around the throne,
"Rejoice! For the Lord brings back his own!"
Elizabeth Clephane 1830 - 1869
This God is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable Friend;
Whose love is as great as his pow’r,
And knows neither measure nor end.
‘Tis Jesus, the first and the last,
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home;
We’ll praise him for all that is past,
And trust him for all that’s to come.
Joseph Hart 1712 - 1768
Thou dost seek a bride all pure and holy,
Those who now belong to thee alone,
Those who give thee all their hearts' affection,
Of thyself a part, bone of thy bone.
Lord, we answer to thy heart's deep longing,
"Even so, come quickly Lord," we say,
In our hearts we have the blessed answer
"Rise my love, my fair one, come away".
Drawn from every kindred, tribe and nation,
By thy Holy Spirit's mighty power,
Finding rest in thee, God's great Salvation,
Waits thy bride for thine appointed hour.
Sharing with thee in this world's rejection,
Putting on thy death to gain a crown,
By thy blood and word we're overcomers,
With thee in thy throne we shall sit down.
Joy Palmer
Thou, whose almighty word
chaos and darkness heard,
and took their flight;
hear us, we humbly pray,
and where the gospel-day
sheds not its glorious ray,
let there be light.
Thou, who didst come to bring
on thy redeeming wing
healing and sight,
health to the sick in mind,
sight to the inly blind,
O now to all mankind
let there be light.
Spirit of truth and love,
life-giving, holy Dove,
speed forth thy flight;
move on the water's face,
bearing the lamp of grace,
and in earth's darkest place
let there be light.
Holy and blessèd Three,
glorious Trinity,
Wisdom, Love, Might;
boundless as ocean's tide
rolling in fullest pride,
through the earth far and wide
let there be light.
John Marriott 1780-1825
Through all the changing scenes of life,
in trouble and in joy,
the praises of my God shall still
my heart and tongue employ.
Of his deliv'rance I will boast,
till all that are distressed
from my example comfort take,
and charm their griefs to rest.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me;
with me exalt his name;
when in distress to him I called,
he to my rescue came.
The hosts of God encamp around
the dwellings of the just;
deliv'rance he affords to all
who on his succour trust.
Oh, make but trial of his love,
experience will decide
how blest are they, and only they,
who in his truth confide.
Fear him, ye saints, and you will then
have nothing else to fear;
make you his service your delight,
your wants shall be his care.
Nicholas Brady 1659 - 1726
Thy way, not mine, O Lord,
However dark it be!
Lead me by thine own hand;
Choose out the path for me.
Smooth let it be, or rough,
It will be still the best;
Winding or straight, it leads
Right onward to thy rest.
I dare not choose my lot;
I would not, if I might:
Choose thou for me, my God;
So shall I walk aright.
The kingdom that I seek
Is thine; so let the way
That leads to it be thine,
Else I must surely stray.
Take thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill,
As best to thee may seem;
Choose thou my good and ill.
Not mine, not mine the choice
In things or great or small;
Be thou my Guide, my Strength,
My Wisdom, and my All.
Horatius Bonar 1808 - 1889 P>
Thy kingdom come, O God!
Thy rule, O Christ begin!
Break with thine iron rod
The tyrannies of sin!
Where is thy reign of peace,
And purity and love?
When shall all hatred cease,
As in the realms above?
When comes the promised time
That war shall be no more,
Oppression, lust, and crime
Shall flee thy face before?
We pray thee, Lord, arise,
And come in thy great might;
Revive our longing eyes,
Which languish for thy sight.
Men scorn thy sacred Name,
And wolves devour thy fold;
By many deeds of shame
We learn that love grows cold.
O'er heathen lands afar
Thick darkness broodeth yet:
Arise, O Morning Star,
Arise, and never set!
Lewis Hensley 1824 - 1905
‘Tis finished! the Messiah dies:
Cut off for sins, but not his own:
Accomplished is the sacrifice,
The great redeeming work is done.
‘Tis finished! All the debt is paid;
Justice divine is satisfied;
The grand and full atonement made;
God for a guilty world has died.
The veil is rent in Christ alone;
The living way to heaven is seen;
The middle wall is broken down,
And all mankind may enter in.
The types and figures are fulfilled,
Exacted is the legal pain;
The precious promises are sealed;
The spotless Lamb of God is slain.
The reign of sin and death is o’er
And all may live from sin set free;
Satan has lost his mortal power;
‘Tis swallowed up in victory.
Saved from the legal curse I am,
My Saviour hangs on yonder tree:
See there the meek expiring Lamb!
‘Tis finished! He expires for me.
Accepted in the Well-beloved,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
I see the bar to heaven removed;
And all thy merits, Lord, are mine.
Death, hell and sin are now subdued;
All grace is now to sinners given;
And lo, I plead the atoning blood,
And in thy right I claim thy heaven.
Charles Wesley 1707 - 1788
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
Oh soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Saviour
And life more abundant and free.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed and we follow Him there
O'er us sin no more hath dominion
For more than conquerors we are.
Oh, turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
His word shall not fail you, He promised
Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell.
Oh, turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
Helen Lemmel 1864 - 1961
We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go.
Yes, in Thy Name, O Captain of salvation!
In Thy dear Name, all other names above;
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.
We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day Thy grace to know:
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
"We rest on Thee, and in Thy Name we go."
We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!
Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise;
When passing through the gates of pearly splendour,
Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.
Edith Cherry 1872 - 1897
What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemer
There is no more for heaven now to give
He is my joy, my righteousness, and freedom
My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
For my life is wholly bound to His
Oh how strange and divine, I can sing: all is mine
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Saviour He will stay
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed
To this I hold, my Shepherd will defend me
Through the deepest valley He will lead
Oh the night has been won, and I shall overcome
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven
The future sure, the price it has been paid
For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon
And He was raised to overthrow the grave
To this I hold, my sin has been defeated
Jesus now and ever is my plea
Oh the chains are released, I can sing: I am free
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
With every breath I long to follow Jesus
For He has said that He will bring me home
And day by day I know He will renew me
Until I stand with joy before the throne
To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus
All the glory evermore to Him
When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Yet not I, but through Christ in me.
Michael Faren
What love could remember, no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all-knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord
His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn’
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Matt Papa and Matt Boswell
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down;
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
His dying crimson like a robe,
Spreads o'er his body on the tree;
Then am I dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Isaac Watts 1674 - 1748
When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows, like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to know,
It is well, it is well with my soul.
It is well ... with my soul ...
It is well, it is well with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, if trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ hast regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed his own blood for my soul.
My sin - oh, the bliss of this glorious thought -
My sin - not In part, but the whole
Is nailed to his cross; and I bear it no more:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live!
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper thy peace to my soul.
But Lord, 'tis for thee, for thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal:
Oh, trump of the angel! oh, voice of the Lord!
Blesséd hope! blesséd rest of my soul.
Horatio Spafford 1828 - 1888
When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey.
John Sammis 1848-1919
Who can cheer the heart like Jesus,
By his presence all divine?
True and tender, pure and precious,
O how blest to call him mine.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus;
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand,
In my blessed Lord I see.
Love of Christ so freely given,
Grace of God beyond degree,
Mercy higher than the heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea.
What a wonderful redemption!
Never can a mortal know
How my sin, though red like crimson,
Can be whiter than the snow.
Ev'ry need his hand supplying,
Ev'ry good in him I see;
On his strength divine relying,
He is all in all to me.
By the crystal-flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing,
And for ever and for ever
Praise and glorify the King.
Thoro Harris 1874 - 1955
Who can sound the depths of sorrow
In the Father heart of God,
For the children we've rejected,
For the lives so deeply scarred?
And each light that we've extinguished
Has brought darkness to our land.
Upon our nation, upon our nation, have mercy, Lord.
We have scorned the truth you gave us,
We have bowed to other lords.
We have sacrificed the children
On the altars of our gods.
O let the truth again shine on us,
Let your holy fear descend
Upon our nation, upon our nation, have mercy, Lord.
Who will stand before your anger?
Who can face your piercing eyes?
For you love the weak and helpless,
And you hear the victims' cries.
Yes, you are a God of justice,
And your judgement surely comes.
Upon our nation, upon our nation, have mercy, Lord.
Who will stand against the violence?
Who will comfort those who mourn?
In an age of cruel rejection,
Who will build for love a home?
Come and shake us into action,
Come and melt our heart of stone.
Upon your people, upon your people, have mercy, Lord.
Who can sound the depths of mercy
In the father heart of God?
For there is a Man of Sorrows
Who for sinners shed his blood.
He can heal the wounds of nations,
He can wash the guilty clean.
Because of Jesus, because of Jesus, have mercy, Lord.
Graham Kendrick
Who would true valour see
Let him come hither
One here will constant be
Come wind, come weather;
There's no discouragement
Shall make him once relent,
His first avowed intent
To be a pilgrim.
Whoso beset him round
With dismal stories,
Do but themselves confound;
His strength the more is.
No lion can him fright,
He'll with a giant fight,
But he will have a right
To be a pilgrim.
Hobgoblin nor foul fiend
Can daunt his spirit,
He knows he at the end
Shall life inherit.
Then fancies fly away!
He'll fear not what men say,
He'll labour night and day
To be a pilgrim.
John Bunyan 1628 - 1688
Wonderful birth, to a manger he came,
Made in the likeness of man, to proclaim
God's boundless love for a world sick with sin,
Pleading for sinners to let him come in.
Wonderful name he bears,
Wonderful crown he wears,
Wonderful blessings his triumphs afford;
Wonderful Calvary,
Wonderful grace for me,
Wonderful love of my wonderful Lord.
Wonderful life, full of service so free,
Friend to the poor and the needy was he;
Unfailing goodness on all he bestowed,
Undying faith in the vilest he showed.
Wonderful death, for it meant not defeat,
Calvary made his great mission complete,
Wrought our redemption, and when he arose,
Banished for ever the last of our foes.
Wonderful hope, he is coming again,
Coming as king o'er the nations to reign;
Glorious promise, his word cannot fail,
His righteous kingdom at last must prevail!
Alfred Ackley 1887 - 1960
Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin;
Each vict’ry will help you some other to win;
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Ask the Saviour to help you,
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.
Shun evil companions, bad language disdain,
God’s name hold in rev’rence, nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest, kindhearted and true;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
To him that o’ercometh, God giveth a crown,
Through faith we will conquer, though often cast down;
He who is our Saviour, our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Horatio Palmer 1834 - 1907
You ask me why I'm happy
so I'll just tell you why,
Because my sins are gone;
And when I meet the scoffers
who ask me where they are,
I say, "My sins are gone."
They're underneath the blood
on the cross of Calvary,
As far removed as darkness is from dawn;
In the sea of God's forgetfulness,
that's good enough for me,
Praise God, my sins are gone!
Napoleon Vandall 1896 - 1970
Your grace that leads this sinner home
From death to life forever
And sings the song of righteousness
By blood and not by merit
Your grace that reaches far and wide
To every tribe and nation
Has called my heart to enter in
The joy of Your salvation
By grace, I am redeemed
By grace, I am restored
And now I freely walk
Into the arms of Christ my Lord
Your grace that I cannot explain
Not by my earthly wisdom
The prince of life, without a stain
Was traded for this sinner
Let praise rise up and overflow
My song resound forever
For grace will see me welcomed home
To walk beside my Saviour
By grace, I am redeemed
By grace, I am restored
And now I freely walk
Into the arms of Christ my Lord
Jonny Robinson and Rich Thompson
Your harps, ye trembling saints,
Down from the willows take;
Loud to the praise of love Divine
Bid every string awake.
Though in a foreign land,
We are not far from home;
And nearer to our house above
We every moment come.
His grace will to the end
Stronger and brighter shine;
Nor present things, nor things to come,
Shall quench the spark Divine.
Fastened within the veil,
Hope be your anchor strong;
His loving Spirit, the sweet gale
That wafts you smooth along.
Or, should the surges rise,
And peace delay to come;
Blest is the sorrow, kind the storm,
That drives us nearer home.
The people of his choice
He will not cast away;
Yet do not always here expect
On Tabor’s Mount to stay.
When we in darkness walk,
Nor feel the heavenly flame;
Then is the time to trust our God,
And rest upon his name.
Soon shall our doubts and fears
Subside at his control;
His loving kindness shall break through
The midnight of the soul.
Wait, till the shadows flee;
Wait, thy appointed hour;
Wait, till the Bridegroom of thy soul
Reveals his love and power.
The time of love will come,
When thou shalt clearly see,
Not only that he shed his blood,
But that it flowed for thee!
Augustus Toplady 1740 - 1778