Category Archives: Hymns

The New Song~ Hymn

The New Song

With harps and with vials,
There stand a great throng
In the presence of Jesus,
And sing this new song:

Refrain

Unto Him who hath loved us
And washed us from sin,
Unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.

All these once were sinners,
Defiled in His sight,
Now arrayed in pure garments
In praise they unite:

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He maketh the rebel
A priest and a king,
He hath bought us and taught us
This new song to sing:

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How helpless and hopeless
We sinners had been,
If He never had loved us
Till cleansed from our sin:

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Aloud in His praises
Our voices shall ring,
So that others believing,
This new song shall sing:

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Unto Him who hath loved us
And washed us from sin,
Unto Him be the glory forever, Amen.

Words: A.T. Pierson, 1874.

The Ninety and Nine ~ Hymn

The Ninety and Nine

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.
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,
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
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;
Sick and helpless and ready to die.

Lord, whence are those blood drops all the way
That mark out the mountain’s 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;
They are pierced tonight by many a thorn.

And all through the mountains, thunder riven
And up from the rocky steep,
There arose a glad 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!
Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!

Words: Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1868.

Make Me Understand ~ Hymn

Make Me Understand

Give me a sight, O Savior!
Of Thy wondrous love to me,
Of the love that brought Thee down to earth
To die on Calvary.

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O make me understand it!
Help me to take it in!
What it meant to Thee, the Holy One,
To bear away my sin.

Was it the nails, O Savior!
That bound Thee to the tree?
Nay, ’twas Thine everlasting love,
Thy love for me, for me.

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O wonder of all wonders!
That through Thy death for me
My open sins, my secret sins,
Can all forgiven be.

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Then melt my heart, O Savior!
Bend me, yea, break me down
Until I own Thee Conqueror,
And Lord and Sovereign crown.

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Words: Katherine A. M. Kelly, (1869-1942)

O Love of God, How Strong and True ~ Hymn

O Love of God, How Strong and True

O love of God, how strong and true!
Eternal and yet ever new;
Uncomprehended and unbought,
Beyond all knowledge and all thought.

O love of God, how deep and great!
Far deeper than man’s deepest hate;
Self-fed, self-kindled, like the light,
Changeless, eternal, infinite.

O heav’nly love, how precious still,
In days of weariness and ill!
In nights of pain and helplessness,
To heal, to comfort, and to bless.

O wide embracing, wondrous love,
We read Thee in the sky above,
We read Thee in the earth below,
In seas that swell, and streams that flow.

We read Thee in the flowers, the trees,
The freshness of the fragrant breeze,
The song of birds upon the wing,
The joy of summer and of spring.

We read Thee best in Him who came
To bear for us the cross of shame;
Sent by the Father from on high,
Our life to live, our death to die.

We read Thee in the manger-bed,
On which His infancy was laid;
And Nazareth that love reveals,
Nestling amid its lonely hills.

We read Thee in the tears once shed,
Over doomed Salem’s guilty head,
In the cold tomb of Bethany,
And blood-drops of Gethsemane.

We read Thy power to bless and save,
E’en in the darkness of the grave;
Still more in resurrection light,
We read the fullness of Thy might.

O love of God, our shield and stay
Through all the perils of our way;
Eternal love, in Thee we rest,
Forever safe, forever blest!

Alas and Did My Savior Bleed ~ Hymn

Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed

Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Refrain

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!

Thy body slain, sweet Jesus, Thine,
And bathed in its own blood,
While all exposed to wrath divine,
The glorious Sufferer stood!

Refrain

Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!

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Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker died,
For man the creature’s sin.

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Thus might I hide my blushing face
While His dear cross appears,
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

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But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do.

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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!

Words: Isaac Watts, 1707.

Higher Ground ~ Hymn

Higher Ground 

I’m pressing on the upward way,
New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I’m onward bound,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Refrain

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s table land,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where those abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.

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I want to live above the world,
Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
The song of saints on higher ground.

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I want to scale the utmost height
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till Heav’n I’ve found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

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Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s table land,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

Words: Johnson Oatman, Jr. 1898.

The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended ~ Hymn

The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended

The day Thou gavest, Lord, is ended,
The darkness falls at Thy behest;
To Thee our morning hymns ascended,
Thy praise shall sanctify our rest.

We thank Thee that Thy church, unsleeping,
While earth rolls onward into light,
Through all the world her watch is keeping,
And rests not now by day or night.

As o’er each continent and island
The dawn leads on another day,
The voice of prayer is never silent,
Nor dies the strain of praise away.

The sun that bids us rest is waking
Our brethren ’neath the western sky,
And hour by hour fresh lips are making
Thy wondrous doings heard on high.

So be it, Lord; Thy throne shall never,
Like earth’s proud empires, pass away:
Thy kingdom stands, and grows forever,
Till all Thy creatures own Thy sway.

Words: John Ellerton, 1870.

When This Passing World is Done ~ Hymn

When This Passing World is Done

When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o’er life’s finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When I hear the wicked call,
On the rocks and hills to fall,
When I see them start and shrink
On the fiery deluge brink,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When I stand before the throne,
Dressed in beauty not my own,
When I see Thee as Thou art,
Love Thee with unsinning heart,
Then Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

When the praise of Heav’n I hear,
Loud as thunders to the ear,
Loud as many waters’ noise,
Sweet as harp’s melodious voice,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know—
Not till then—how much I owe.

Even on earth, as through a glass
Darkly, let Thy glory pass,
Make forgiveness feel so sweet,
Make Thy Spirit’s help so meet,
Even on earth, Lord, make me know
Something of how much I owe.

Chosen not for good in me,
Wakened up from wrath to flee,
Hidden in the Savior’s side,
By the Spirit sanctified,
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.

Oft I walk beneath the cloud,
Dark, as midnight’s gloomy shroud;
But, when fear is at the height,
Jesus comes, and all is light;
Blessed Jesus! bid me show
Doubting saints how much I owe.

When in flowery paths I tread,
Oft by sin I’m captive led;
Oft I fall—but still arise—
The Spirit comes—the tempter flies;
Blessed Spirit! bid me show
Weary sinners all I owe.

Oft the nights of sorrow reign—
Weeping, sickness, sighing, pain;
But a night Thine anger burns—
Morning comes and joy returns;
God of comforts! bid me show
To Thy poor, how much I owe.

Words: Robert M. McCheyne, 1837, “I am A Debtor”

I’ll Overcome Some Day ~ Hymn

I’ll Overcome Some Day

This world is one great battlefield
With forces all arrayed,
If in my heart I do not yield
I’ll overcome some day.
I’ll overcome some day,
I’ll overcome some day,
If in my heart I do not yield,
I’ll overcome some day.

Both seen and unseen powers join
To drive my soul astray,
But with His Word a sword of mine,
I’ll overcome some day.
I’ll overcome some day,
I’ll overcome some day,
But with His Word a sword of mine,
I’ll overcome some day.

A thousand snares are set for me,
And mountains in my way,
If Jesus will my leader be,
I’ll overcome some day.
I’ll overcome some day,
I’ll overcome some day,
If Jesus will my leader be,
I’ll overcome some day.

I fail so often when I try
My Savior to obey;
It pains my heart and then I cry,
Lord, make me strong some day.
Lord, make me strong some day,
Lord, make me strong some day;
It pains my heart and then I cry,
Lord, make me strong some day.

My mind is not to do the wrong,
But walk the narrow way;
I’m praying as I journey on,
To overcome some day.
To overcome some day,
To overcome some day;
I’m praying as I journey on,
To overcome some day.

Though many a time no signs appear,
Of answer when I pray;
My Jesus says I need not fear,
He’ll make it plain some day.
I’ll be like Him some day,
I’ll be like Him some day;
My Jesus says I need not fear,
He’ll make it plain some day.

Words: Charles A. Tindley, 1900.

Jesus, Stand Among Us ~ Hymn

Jesus, Stand Among Us

Jesus, stand among us
In Thy risen power;
Let this time of worship
Be a hallowed hour.

Breathe the Holy Spirit
Into every heart;
Bid the fears and sorrows
From each soul depart.

Thus with quickened footsteps
We pursue our way,
Watching for the dawning
Of each eternal day.

Words: William Pennefather, 1855.