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Johann Scheffler, 1657; tr. John Wesley, 1739·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
Thee will I love, my Strength, my Tower;
Thee will I love, my Joy, my Crown;
Thee will I love with all my power,
In all my works, and Thee alone;
Thee will I love, till sacred fire
Fills my whole soul with pure desire.
Verse 2
In darkness willingly I strayed;
I sought Thee, yet from Thee I roved;
For wide my wandering thoughts were spread;
Thy creatures more than Thee I loved;
And now, if more at length I see,
’Tis through Thy light, and comes from Thee.
Verse 3
Uphold me in the doubtful race,
Nor suffer me again to stray;
Strengthen my feet, with steady pace
Still to press forward in Thy way;
My soul and flesh, O Lord of might,
Fill, satiate with Thy heavenly light.
Verse 4
Thee will I love, my Joy, my Crown;
Thee will I love, my Lord, my God;
Thee will I love, beneath Thy frown
Or smile, Thy sceptre or Thy rod;
What though my flesh and heart decay?
Thee shall I love in endless day.
Presbyterian 1895 No. 127 · 8.8.8.8.8.8. (or L.M.) · Wavertree
Anonymous (German); tr. Anonymous, 1850·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
Fairest Lord Jesus,
Ruler of all nature,
O Thou of God and man the Son;
Thee will I cherish,
Thee will I honor,
Thou, my soul’s Glory, Joy, and Crown.
Verse 2
Fair are the meadows,
Fairer still the woodlands,
Robed in the blooming garb of spring:
Jesus is fairer,
Jesus is purer,
Who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Verse 3
Fair is the sunshine,
Fairer still the moonlight,
And all the twinkling, starry host:
Jesus shines brighter,
Jesus shines purer,
Than all the angels heaven can boast.
Presbyterian 1895 No. 155 · 5.6.8.5.5.8. · (Crusader's Hymn)
James G. Deck·Modern
Verse 1
Jesus, Thy Name I love,
All other names above,
Jesus, my Lord:
O Thou art all to me;
Nothing to please I see,
Nothing apart from Thee,
Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 2
Thou, blessed Son of God,
Hast bought me with Thy blood,
Jesus, my Lord:
O how great is Thy love,
All other loves above,
Love that I daily prove,
Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 3
When unto Thee I flee,
Thou wilt my Refuge be,
Jesus, my Lord:
What need I now to fear,
What earthly grief or care,
Since Thou art ever near?
Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 4
Soon Thou wilt come again;
I shall be happy then,
Jesus, my Lord:
Then Thine own face I’ll see,
Then I shall like Thee be,
Then evermore with Thee,
Jesus, my Lord.
James G. Deck, “Jesus, Thy Name I Love”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 157 · 6.6.4.6.6.6.4. · Stobel
Samuel Medley·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
O could I speak the matchless worth,
O could I sound the glories forth
Which in my Saviour shine,
I’d soar, and touch the heavenly strings,
And vie with Gabriel while he sings
In notes almost Divine.
Verse 2
I’d sing the precious blood He spilt,
My ransom from the dreadful guilt
Of sin, and wrath Divine:
I’d sing His glorious righteousness,
In which all-perfect, heavenly dress
My soul shall ever shine.
Verse 3
I’d sing the characters He bears,
And all the forms of love He wears,
Exalted on His throne:
In loftiest songs of sweetest praise,
I would to everlasting days
Make all His glories known.
Verse 4
Well, the delightful day will come
When my dear Lord will bring me home,
And I shall see His face;
Then with my Saviour, Brother, Friend,
A blest eternity I’ll spend,
Triumphant in His grace.
Samuel Medley, “O Could I Speak the Matchless Worth”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 159 · 8.8.6.8.8.6. · Ariel
Edward Denny·Modern
Verse 1
What grace, O Lord, and beauty shone
Around Thy steps below;
What patient love was seen in all
Thy life and death of woe!
Verse 2
For ever on Thy burdened heart
A weight of sorrow hung;
Yet no ungentle, murmuring word
Escaped Thy silent tongue.
Verse 3
Thy foes might hate, despise, revile,
Thy friends unfaithful prove;
Unwearied in forgiveness still,
Thy heart could only love.
Verse 4
O give us hearts to love like Thee,
Like Thee, O Lord, to grieve
Far more for others’ sins than all
The wrongs that we receive.
Verse 5
One with Thyself, may every eye
In us, Thy brethren, see
That gentleness and grace that spring
From union, Lord, with Thee.
Edward Denny, “What Grace, O Lord, and Beauty Shone”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 191 · C.M. · St. Bernard
Christopher Wordsworth·Modern
Verse 1
Gracious Spirit, Holy Ghost,
Taught by Thee, we covet most,
Of Thy gifts at Pentecost,
Holy, heavenly love.
Verse 2
Faith, that mountains could remove,
Tongues of earth or heaven above,
Knowledge, all things, empty prove,
Without heavenly love.
Verse 3
Love is kind, and suffers long;
Love is meek, and thinks no wrong;
Love than death itself more strong;
Therefore, give us love.
Verse 4
Prophecy will fade away,
Melting in the light of day;
Love will ever with us stay;
Therefore, give us love.
Verse 5
Faith will vanish into sight;
Hope be emptied in delight;
Love in heaven will shine more bright;
Therefore, give us love.
Verse 6
Faith and hope and love we see,
Joining hand in hand, agree;
But the greatest of the three,
And the best, is love.
Verse 7
From the overshadowing
Of Thy gold and silver wing,
Shed on us who to Thee sing
Holy, heavenly love.
Presbyterian 1895 No. 276 · 7.7.7.5. · Atkinson
Timothy Dwight·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
I love Thy kingdom, Lord,
The house of Thine abode,
The Church our blest Redeemer saved
With His own precious blood.
Verse 2
I love Thy Church, O God:
Her walls before Thee stand,
Dear as the apple of Thine eye,
And graven on Thy hand.
Verse 3
For her my tears shall fall,
For her my prayers ascend;
To her my cares and toils be given,
Till toils and cares shall end.
Verse 4
Beyond my highest joy
I prize her heavenly ways,
Her sweet communion, solemn vows,
Her hymns of love and praise.
Verse 5
Jesus, Thou Friend Divine,
Our Saviour and our King,
Thy hand from every snare and foe
Shall great deliverance bring.
Verse 6
Sure as Thy truth shall last,
To Zion shall be given
The brightest glories earth can yield,
And brighter bliss of heaven.
Timothy Dwight, “I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 300 · S.M. · Narenza
James G. Deck·Modern
Verse 1
Jesus, Thy Name I love,
All other names above,
Jesus, my Lord:
O Thou art all to me;
Nothing to please I see,
Nothing apart from Thee,
Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 2
Thou, blessed Son of God,
Hast bought me with Thy blood,
Jesus, my Lord:
O how great is Thy love,
All other loves above,
Love that I daily prove,
Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 3
When unto Thee I flee,
Thou wilt my Refuge be,
Jesus, my Lord:
What need I now to fear,
What earthly grief or care,
Since Thou art ever near?
Jesus, my Lord.
Verse 4
Soon Thou wilt come again;
I shall be happy then,
Jesus, my Lord:
Then Thine own face I’ll see,
Then I shall like Thee be,
Then evermore with Thee,
Jesus, my Lord.
Gospel Hymns 1895 No. 307 · 6.6.4.6.6.6.4. · Stobel
Bernard of Clairvaux·Medieval
Verse 1
Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.
Verse 2
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Saviour of mankind.
Verse 3
O Hope of every contrite heart,
O Joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!
Verse 4
But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show:
The love of Jesus, what it is
None but His loved ones know.
Verse 5
Jesus, our only Joy be Thou,
As Thou our Prize wilt be;
Jesus, be Thou our Glory now,
And through eternity.
Gospel Hymns 1895 No. 368 · C.M. · Holy Trinity
Joseph Swain·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
How sweet, how heavenly is the sight
When those that love the Lord
In one another’s peace delight,
And so fulfil His word;
Verse 2
When each can feel his brother’s sigh,
And with him bear a part,
When sorrow flows from eye to eye,
And joy from heart to heart;
Verse 3
When, free from envy, scorn, and pride,
Our wishes all above,
Each can his brother’s failings hide,
And show a brother’s love;
Verse 4
When love, in one delightful stream,
Through every bosom flows,
And union sweet and dear esteem
In every action glows.
Verse 5
Love is the golden chain that binds
The happy souls above;
And he’s an heir of heaven who finds
His bosom glow with love.
Joseph Swain, “How Sweet, How Heavenly Is the Sight”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 414 · C.M. · Siloam
John Fawcett·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love:
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.
Verse 2
Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims, are one,
Our comforts and our cares.
Verse 3
We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear,
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
Verse 4
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.
Verse 5
This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way,
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.
Verse 6
From sorrow, toil, and pain,
And sin, we shall be free;
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.
John Fawcett, “Blest Be the Tie That Binds”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 425 · S.M. · Boylston
Gerald Massey·Modern
Verse 1
Surrounded by unnumbered foes,
Against my soul the battle goes;
Yet though I weary, sore distrest,
I know that I shall reach my rest.
I lift my tearful eyes above,—
His banner over me is love.
Verse 2
Its sword my spirit will not yield,
Though flesh may faint upon the field;
He waves before my fading sight
The branch of palm, the crown of light:
I lift my brightening eyes above,—
His banner over me is love.
Verse 3
My cloud of battle-dust may dim,
His veil of splendor curtain Him;
And in the midnight of my fear
I may not feel Him standing near:
But, as I lift mine eyes above,
His banner over me is love.
Gerald Massey, “Surrounded by Unnumbered Foes”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 510 · 8.8.8.8.8.8. · Wavertree
Anna L. Waring·Modern
Verse 1
In heavenly love abiding,
No change my heart shall fear,
And safe is such confiding,
For nothing changes here.
The storm may roar without me,
My heart may low be laid;
But God is round about me,
And can I be dismayed?
Verse 2
Wherever He may guide me,
No want shall turn me back;
My Shepherd is beside me,
And nothing can I lack.
His wisdom ever waketh,
His sight is never dim;
He knows the way He taketh,
And I will walk with Him.
Verse 3
Green pastures are before me,
Which yet I have not seen;
Bright skies will soon be o’er me,
Where the dark clouds have been.
My hope I cannot measure,
The path to life is free;
My Saviour has my treasure,
And He will walk with me.
Anna L. Waring, “In Heavenly Love Abiding”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 527 · 7.6.7.6.D. · Waring
Samuel Stennett·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
How charming is the place
Where my Redeemer God
Unveils the beauties of His face,
And sheds His love abroad.
Verse 2
Not the fair palaces
To which the great resort,
Are once to be compared with this,
Where Jesus holds His court.
Verse 3
Here, on the mercy-seat,
With radiant glory crowned,
Our joyful eyes behold Him sit,
And smile on all around.
Verse 4
To Him their prayers and cries
Each humble soul presents:
He listens to their broken sighs,
And grants them all their wants.
Verse 5
To them His sovereign will
He graciously imparts;
And in return accepts, with smiles,
The tribute of their hearts.
Verse 6
Give me, O Lord, a place
Within Thy blest abode,
Among the children of Thy grace,
The servants of my God.
Samuel Stennett, “How Charming Is the Place”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 54 · S.M. · Mornington
Bernard of Clairvaux; tr. Edward Caswall, 1849·Medieval
Verse 1
Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.
Verse 2
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Saviour of mankind.
Verse 3
O Hope of every contrite heart,
O Joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!
Verse 4
But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show:
The love of Jesus, what it is
None but His loved ones know.
Verse 5
Jesus, our only Joy be Thou,
As Thou our Prize wilt be;
Jesus, be Thou our Glory now,
And through eternity.
Presbyterian 1895 No. 546 · C.M. · Holy Trinity
Frances R. Havergal·Modern
Verse 1
I could not do without Thee,
O Saviour of the lost,
Whose precious blood redeemed me
At such tremendous cost;
Thy righteousness, Thy pardon,
Thy precious blood, must be
My only hope and comfort,
My glory and my plea.
Verse 2
I could not do without Thee,
I cannot stand alone,
I have no strength or goodness,
No wisdom of my own;
But Thou, belovèd Saviour,
Art All in all to me,
And weakness will be power,
If leaning hard on Thee.
Verse 3
I could not do without Thee,
O Jesus, Saviour dear;
E’en when my eyes are holden,
I know that Thou art near.
How dreary and how lonely
This changeful life would be,
Without the sweet communion,
The secret rest with Thee!
Verse 4
I could not do without Thee;
No other friend can read
The spirit’s strange deep longings,
Interpreting its need;
No human heart could enter
Each dim recess of mine,
And soothe, and hush, and calm it,
O blessed Lord, but Thine.
Verse 5
I could not do without Thee,
For years are fleeting fast,
And soon in solemn loneliness
The river must be passed;
But Thou wilt never leave me,
And though the waves roll high,
I know Thou wilt be near me,
And whisper, “It is I.”
Frances R. Havergal, “I Could Not Do Without Thee”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 547 · 7.6.7.6.D. · Magdalena
John S. B. Monsell·Modern
Verse 1
To Thee, O dear, dear Saviour!
My spirit turns for rest,
My peace is in Thy favor,
My pillow on Thy breast;
Though all the world deceive me,
I know that I am Thine,
And Thou wilt never leave me,
O blessed Saviour mine.
Verse 2
In Thee my trust abideth,
On Thee my hope relies,
O Thou whose love provideth
For all beneath the skies;
O Thou whose mercy found me,
From bondage set me free,
And then for ever bound me
With threefold cords to Thee.
Verse 3
My grief is in the dulness
With which this sluggish heart
Doth open to the fulness
Of all Thou wouldst impart;
My joy is in Thy beauty
Of holiness Divine,
My comfort in the duty
That binds my life in Thine.
Verse 4
Alas, that I should ever
Have failed in love to Thee,
The only One who never
Forgat or slighted me!
O for a heart to love Thee
More truly as I ought,
And nothing place above Thee
In deed, or word, or thought.
Verse 5
O for that choicest blessing
Of living in Thy love,
And thus on earth possessing
The peace of heaven above;
O for the bliss that by it
The soul securely knows
The holy calm and quiet
Of faith’s serene repose.
Presbyterian 1895 No. 548 · 7.6.7.6.D. · Savoy Chapel
Charlotte Elliott·Modern
Verse 1
O Holy Saviour, Friend unseen,
Since on Thine arm Thou bidd’st me lean,
Help me, throughout life’s varying scene,
By faith to cling to Thee.
Verse 2
Blest with this fellowship Divine,
Take what Thou wilt, I’ll ne’er repine;
E’en as the branches to the vine,
My soul would cling to Thee.
Verse 3
Far from her home, fatigued, oppressed,
Here she has found her place of rest,
An exile still, yet not unblest,
While she can cling to Thee.
Verse 4
What though the world deceitful prove,
And earthly friends and joys remove,
With patient, uncomplaining love
Still would I cling to Thee.
Verse 5
Though faith and hope may long be tried,
I ask not, need not aught beside;
How safe, how calm, how satisfied,
The souls that cling to Thee!
Verse 6
Blest is my lot, whate’er befall;
What can disturb me, who appal,
While as my Strength, my Rock, my All,
Saviour, I cling to Thee?
Charlotte Elliott, “O Holy Saviour, Friend Unseen”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 549 · 8.8.8.6. · Derry
John Ryland·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
O Lord, I would delight in Thee,
And on Thy care depend;
To Thee in every trouble flee,
My best, my only Friend.
Verse 2
When all created streams are dried,
Thy fulness is the same;
May I with this be satisfied,
And glory in Thy Name.
Verse 3
No good in creatures can be found,
But may be found in Thee;
I must have all things, and abound,
While God is God to me.
Verse 4
O that I had a stronger faith,
To look within the veil!
To credit what my Saviour saith,
Whose word can never fail!
Verse 5
He that has made my heaven secure,
Will here all good provide;
While Christ is rich, can I be poor?
What can I want beside?
Verse 6
O Lord, I cast my care on Thee;
I triumph and adore:
Henceforth my great concern shall be
To love and please Thee more.
John Ryland, “O Lord, I Would Delight in Thee”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 550 · C.M. · St. Frances
Benjamin Beddome·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
If Christ is mine, then all is mine,
And more than angels know;
Both present things and things to come,
And grace and glory too.
Verse 2
If He is mine, then, though He frown,
He never will forsake;
His chastisements all work for good,
And but His love bespeak.
Verse 3
If He is mine, I need not fear
The rage of earth and hell;
He will support my feeble frame,
And all their power repel.
Verse 4
If He is mine, let friends forsake,
And earthly comforts flee;
He, the Dispenser of all good,
Is more than these to me.
Verse 5
If He is mine, I’ll fearless pass
Through death’s tremendous vale;
He’ll be my Comfort and my Stay
When heart and flesh shall fail.
Verse 6
Let Jesus tell me He is mine,
I nothing want beside:
My soul shall at the Fountain live
When all the streams are dried.
Benjamin Beddome, “If Christ Is Mine, Then All Is Mine”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 551 · C.M. · (Eckhardtsheim)
James G. Small·Modern
Verse 1
I’ve found a Friend; O 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 naught can sever,
For I am His, and He is mine,
For ever and for ever.
Verse 2
I’ve found a Friend; O 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 mine own I’ll call,
I’ll hold it for the Giver;
My heart, my strength, my life, my all,
Are His, and His for ever.
Verse 3
I’ve found a Friend; O such a Friend!
All power to Him is given,
To guard me on my onward course,
And bring me safe to heaven:
Eternal glory gleams afar,
To nerve my faint endeavor;
So now to watch, to work, to war,
And then to rest for ever.
Verse 4
I’ve found a Friend; O 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, shall earth or hell?
No: I am His for ever.
Presbyterian 1895 No. 552 · 8.7.8.7.D. · Constance
Samuel Medley·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
Awake, my soul, in joyful lays,
And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise;
He justly claims a song from me,
His loving-kindness is so free.
Verse 2
He saw me ruined in the fall,
Yet loved me notwithstanding all,
And saved me from my lost estate,
His loving-kindness is so great.
Verse 3
Through mighty hosts of cruel foes,
Where earth and hell my way oppose,
He safely leads my soul along,
His loving-kindness is so strong.
Verse 4
Often I feel my sinful heart
Prone from my Jesus to depart;
And though I oft have Him forgot,
His loving-kindness changes not.
Verse 5
So when I pass death’s gloomy vale,
And life and mortal powers shall fail,
O may my last expiring breath
His loving-kindness sing in death.
Verse 6
Then shall I mount, and soar away
To the bright world of endless day;
There shall I sing, with sweet surprise,
His loving-kindness in the skies.
Samuel Medley, “Awake, My Soul, in Joyful Lays”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 553 · L.M. · Lauds
Philip Doddridge·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
Jesus, I love Thy charming Name,
’Tis music to mine ear;
Fain would I sound it out so loud
That earth and heaven should hear.
Verse 2
Yes, Thou art precious to my soul,
My Transport and my Trust;
Jewels to Thee are gaudy toys,
And gold is sordid dust.
Verse 3
All my capacious powers can wish
In Thee doth richly meet;
Not to mine eyes is light so dear,
Nor friendship half so sweet.
Verse 4
Thy grace still dwells upon my heart,
And sheds its fragrance there;
The noblest balm of all its wounds,
The cordial of its care.
Philip Doddridge, “Jesus, I Love Thy Charming Name”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 554 · C.M. · Heber
Charles Wesley·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
I know that my Redeemer lives,
And ever prays for me;
A token of His love He gives,
A pledge of liberty.
Verse 2
I find Him lifting up my head;
He brings salvation near;
His presence makes me free indeed,
And He will soon appear.
Verse 3
He wills that I should holy be:
Who can withstand His will?
The counsel of His grace in me
He surely shall fulfil.
Verse 4
Jesus, I hang upon Thy word:
I steadfastly believe
Thou wilt return and claim me, Lord,
And to Thyself receive.
Charles Wesley, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 555 · C.M. · Bradford
John Newton·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.
Verse 2
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
’Tis Manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary Rest.
Verse 3
Dear Name! the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding-place,
My never-failing Treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace;
Verse 4
By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.
Verse 5
Jesus, my Shepherd, Brother, Friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.
Verse 6
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.
Verse 7
Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death.
John Newton, “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 556 · C.M. · St. Peter
Ascribed to Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Tr. Rev. Edward Caswall, 1849: verse 1, ll. 3, 4, alt.·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
My God, I love Thee, not because
I hope for heaven thereby,
Nor yet because who love Thee not
Must die eternally.
Verse 2
Thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me
Upon the cross embrace;
For me didst bear the nails and spear,
And manifold disgrace;
Verse 3
And griefs and torments numberless,
And sweat of agony;
E’en death itself; and all for one
Who was Thine enemy.
Verse 4
Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ,
Should I not love Thee well?
Not for the hope of winning heaven,
Or of escaping hell;
Verse 5
Not with the hope of gaining aught,
Not seeking a reward;
But as Thyself hast lovèd me,
O ever-loving Lord?
Verse 6
E’en so I love Thee, and will love,
And in Thy praise will sing;
Solely because Thou art my God,
And my Eternal King.
Presbyterian 1895 No. 557 · C.M.D. · Flensburg
Ray Palmer·Modern
Verse 1
Jesus, these eyes have never seen
That radiant form of Thine;
The veil of sense hangs dark between
Thy blessed face and mine.
Verse 2
I see Thee not, I hear Thee not,
Yet art Thou oft with me;
And earth hath ne’er so dear a spot
As where I meet with Thee.
Verse 3
Like some bright dream that comes unsought,
When slumbers o’er me roll,
Thine image ever fills my thought,
And charms my ravished soul.
Verse 4
Yet though I have not seen, and still
Must rest in faith alone;
I love Thee, dearest Lord, and will,
Unseen, but not unknown.
Verse 5
When death these mortal eyes shall seal,
And still this throbbing heart,
The rending veil shall Thee reveal,
All glorious as Thou art.
Ray Palmer, “Jesus, These Eyes Have Never Seen”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 558 · C.M. · Sawley
Charles Wesley·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
Love Divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven, to earth come down;
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling,
All Thy faithful mercies crown:
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.
Verse 2
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast;
Let us all in Thee inherit,
Let us find the promised rest:
Take away the love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
Verse 3
Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray, and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.
Verse 4
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be:
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Charles Wesley, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 559 · 8.7.8.7.D. · Love Divine (Le Jeune)
John Newton·Post-Reformation
Verse 1
One there is, above all others,
Well deserves the name of Friend;
His is love beyond a brother’s,
Costly, free, and knows no end:
They who once His kindness prove
Find it everlasting love.
Verse 2
Which of all our friends, to save us,
Could or would have shed their blood?
But our Jesus died to have us
Reconciled in Him to God:
This was boundless love indeed;
Jesus is a Friend in need.
Verse 3
When He lived on earth abasèd,
“Friend of sinners” was His name,
Now above all glory raisèd,
He rejoices in the same;
Still He calls them brethren, friends,
And to all their wants attends.
Verse 4
Could we bear from one another
What He daily bears from us?
Yet this glorious Friend and Brother
Loves us though we treat Him thus:
Though for good we render ill,
He accounts us brethren still.
Verse 5
O for grace our hearts to soften!
Teach us, Lord, at length to love;
We, alas! forget too often
What a Friend we have above:
But when home our souls are brought,
We will love Thee as we ought.
John Newton, “One There Is, Above All Others”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 560 · 8.7.8.7.7.7. · Albert
John G. Whittier·Modern
Verse 1
Immortal Love, for ever full,
For ever flowing free,
For ever shared, for ever whole,
A never-ebbing sea!
Verse 2
Our outward lips confess the Name
All other names above;
Love only knoweth whence it came,
And comprehendeth love.
Verse 3
We may not climb the heavenly steeps
To bring the Lord Christ down;
In vain we search the lowest deeps,
For Him no depths can drown:
Verse 4
But warm, sweet, tender, even yet
A present Help is He;
And faith has still its Olivet,
And love its Galilee.
Verse 5
The healing of His seamless dress
Is by our beds of pain;
We touch Him in life’s throng and press,
And we are whole again.
Verse 6
Through Him the first fond prayers are said
Our lips of childhood frame;
The last low whispers of our dead
Are burdened with His Name.
Verse 7
Our Lord, and Master of us all,
Whate’er our name or sign,
We own Thy sway, we hear Thy call,
We test our lives by Thine.
John G. Whittier, “Immortal Love, for Ever Full”
Presbyterian 1895 No. 561 · C.M. · Faith