Category Archives: Hymns

O Blessed Hour ~ Hymn

O Blessed Hour

O blessèd hour when first I knew
Jesus, my dear Savior,
When to the cross my soul He drew,
Jesus, my dear Savior;
’Twas there I found sweet peace and rest,
A trembling joy within my breast,
A precious Friend, a heav’nly Guest,
Jesus, my dear Savior.

He rolled the burden from my soul,
Jesus, my dear Savior,
He made my wounded spirit whole,
Jesus, my dear Savior;
He banished all my grief and pain,
He washed away my guilty stain;
He made my heart rejoice again,
Jesus, my dear Savior.

What can I do for this kind Friend,
Jesus, my dear Savior?
I’ll love Him, serve Him to the end,
Jesus, my dear Savior;
And when at last my work is o’er,
And I shall reach the heav’nly shore,
I’ll sing His praises evermore,
Jesus, my dear Savior.

Words: Charles T. Groenendyke, 1898.

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds ~ Hymn

How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s 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 boundless stores of grace!

By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.

Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O 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,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!

Words: John Newton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­iv­er, 1779).

We Pray For Those Who Do Not Pray ~ Hymn

We Pray For Those Who Do Not Pray

We pray for those who do not pray!
Who waste, O Lord, salvation’s day;
For those we love who love not Thee—
Our grief, their danger, pitying see.

Those for whom many tears are shed,
And blessings breathed upon their head;
The children of Thy people save,
From godless life and hopeless grave.

Hear fathers, mothers, as they pray
For sons, for daughters far away—
Brother for brother, friend for friend—
Hear all our prayers that upwards blend.

We pray for those who long have heard,
But still neglect Thy gracious Word;
Soften the hearts obdurate made
By calls unheeded, vows delayed.

Release the drunkard from his chain,
Save those beguiled by pleasure vain,
Set free the slaves of lust, and bring
Back to their home the wandering.

The hopeless cheer; guide those who doubt;
Restore the lost; cast no one out;
For all that are far off we pray,
Since we were once far off as they.

Words: C. Newman Hall, 1878.

Great God, With Wonder and With Praise

The Thames 106

Great God, With Wonder and With Praise

Great God, with wonder and with praise
On all Thy works I look:
But still Thy wisdom, power, and grace,
Shine brighter in Thy Book.

The stars that in their courses roll
Have much instruction giv’n;
But Thy good Word informs my soul
How I may climb to Heav’n.

The fields provide me food, and show
The goodness of the Lord;
But fruits of life and glory grow
In Thy most holy Word.

Here are my choicest treasures hid;
Here my best comfort lies;
Here my desires are satisfied;
And hence my joys arise.

Lord, make me understand Thy law;
Show what my faults have been;
And from Thy Gospel let me draw
A pardon for my sin.

Here would I learn how Christ has died
To save my soul from hell:
Not all the books on earth beside
Such heav’nly wonders tell.

Then let me love my Bible more;
And take a fresh delight
By day to read these wonders o’er,
And meditate by night.

Words: Isaac Watts, (1674-1748)

Be Thou My Vision ~ Hymn

Be Thou My Vision

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 tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O power of my power.

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 Heaven’s sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

Words: Attributed to Dallan Forgaill

Come Thou Almighty King ~ Hymn

 

Come, Thou Almighty King

Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy name to sing,
Help us to praise!
Father all glorious,
O’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days!

Jesus, our Lord, arise,
Scatter our enemies,
And make them fall;
Let Thine almighty aid
Our sure defense be made,
Our souls on Thee be stayed;
Lord, hear our call.

Come, Thou incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword,
Our prayer attend!
Come, and Thy people bless,
And give Thy Word success,
Spirit of holiness,
On us descend!

Come, holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear
In this glad hour.
Thou who almighty art,
Now rule in every heart,
And ne’er from us depart,
Spirit of power!

To Thee, great One in Three,
Eternal praises be,
Hence, evermore.
Thy sovereign majesty
May we in glory see,
And to eternity
Love and adore!

Day by Day ~ Hymn

Day by Day ~

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.

Ev’ry 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 ev’ry 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.

Words: Karolina W. Sandell-berg (1832 – 1903)

My Lord, I Did Not Choose You ~ Hymn

 

My Lord, I Did Not Choose You

My Lord, I did not choose You,
For that could never be;
My heart would still refuse You,
Had You not chosen me.
You took the sin that stained me,
You cleansed me, made me new;
Of old You have ordained me,
That I should live in You.

Unless Your grace had called me
And taught my op’ning mind,
The world would have enthralled me,
To heav’nly glories blind.
My heart knows none above You;
For Your rich grace I thirst;
I know that if I love You,
You must have loved me first.

Words: Joseph Conder, 1836.

Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul ~ Hymn

Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul

Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise;
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies.

While hope revives, though pressed with fear
And I can say, My God,
Beneath Thy feet I spread my cares,
And pour my woes abroad.

To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal;
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief
For every pain I feel.

But oh! when gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine;
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline.

Yet, gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust,
And still my soul would cleave to Thee,
Though prostrate in the dust.

Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face?
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace
Be deaf when I complain?

No, still the ear of sovereign grace
Attends the mourner’s prayer;
O access may I ever find,
To breathe my sorrows there.

Thy mercy seat is open still;
Here let my soul retreat,
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet.

Words: Anne Steele, 1716-1778.

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise ~ Hymn

Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible, hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, silent as light,
Nor striving, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy Justice like mountains soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of mercy and love.

To all life Thou givest, both great and small;
In all life Thou livest, true life of all;
Thy blossom and flourish only are we,
To wither and perish—but nought changeth Thee.

To-day and To-morrow with Thee still are Now;
Nor trouble, nor sorrow, nor care, Lord, hast Thou;
Nor passion doth fever, nor age can decay,
The same God for ever as on yesterday.

Great Father of Glory, Father of Light,
Thine angels adore Thee, veiling their sight;
But of all Thy good graces this grace, Lord, impart—
Take the veil from our faces, the veil from our heart.

All laud we would render; O help us to see,
’Tis only the splendour of light hideth Thee;
And now let Thy glory to our gaze unroll
Through Christ in the story, and Christ in the soul.

Words: Walter C. Smith, 1867.