This world is a wilderness wide!
We have nothing to seek or to choose;
We’ve no thought in the waste to abide;
We’ve naught to regret nor to lose.
The Lord is Himself gone before;
He has marked out the path that we tread;
It’s as sure as the love we adore,
We have nothing to fear nor to dread.
There is but that one in the waste,
Which His footsteps have marked as His own;
And we follow in diligent haste
To the seats where He’s put on His crown.
For the path where our Savior is gone
Has led up to our Father and God,
To the place where He’s now on the throne,
And His strength shall be ours on the road.
And with Him shall our rest be on high,
When in holiness bright we sit down,
In the joy of His love ever nigh,
In the peace that His presence shall crown.
‘Tis the treasure we’ve found His love
That has made us now pilgrims below,
And ’tis there, when we reach Him above,
As we’re known, all His fulness we’ll know.
And Savior! ’tis Thee from on high
We await till the time Thou shall come,
To take those Thou hast led by Thine eye
To Thyself in Thy heavenly home.
Till then ’tis the path Thou hast trod,
Our delight and our comfort shall be;
We’re content with Thy staff and Thy rod,
Till with Thee all Thy glory we see.
Category Archives: Hymns for the Little Flock
Hymns for the Little Flock Selected 1856 – Revised 1881
What Was It, Blessed God ( 155 )
What was it, blessed God,
Led Thee to give Thy son,
To yield Thy well-beloved
For us by sin undone?
‘Twas love unbounded led Thee thus
To give Thy well-beloved for us.
What led Thy Son, O God!
To leave Thy throne on high,
To shed His precious blood,
To suffer and to die?
‘Twas love, unbounded love to us,
Led Him to die and suffer thus.
What moved Thee to impart
Thy Spirit from above,
Therewith to fill our heart
With heavenly peace and love?
‘Twas love, unbounded love to us,
Moved Thee to give Thy Spirit thus.
What love to Thee we owe,
Our God, for all Thy grace;
Our hearts may well o’erflow
In everlasting praise!
Make us, O Lord, to praise Thee thus
For all Thy boundless love to us.
He Bids Us Come; His Voice We Know ( 171 )
He bids us come; His voice we know,
And boldly on the waters go
To Him our God and Lord;
We walk on life’s tempestuous sea,
For He who died to set us free
Hath called us with His word.
Secure, on boisterous waves we tread,
Nor all the billows round us dread,
While on the Lord we look;
The tempter drives his vortex round,
We pass it as on solid ground;
The wave is firm as rock.
But if from Him we turn the eye,
We see the raging floods run high,
Our hearts are full of fear;
Our foes so strong, our flesh so frail,
Reason and unbelief prevail,
Forgetting He is near.
Lord! we our unbelief confess,
Do thou our little faith increase,
That we may fail no more,
But fix on Thee a steady eye,
And on Thine outstretched arm rely,
Till all the storm is o’er.
O Jesus, Gracious Savior ( 187 )
O Jesus, gracious Savior,
Upon the Father’s throne–
Whose wondrous love and favor
Have made our cause Thine own;
Thy people to Thee ever
For grace and help repair,
For Thou, they know, wilt never
Refuse their griefs to share.
O Lord, through tribulation
Our pilgrim-journey lies,
Through scorn and sore temptation,
And watchful enemies;
Midst never-ceasing dangers
We through the desert roam;
As pilgrims here and strangers
We seek the rest to come.
O Lord, Thou too once hasted
This weary desert through,
Once fully tried and tasted
Its bitterness and woe;
And hence Thy heart is tender
In truest sympathy,
Though now the heavens render
All praise to Thee on high.
O by Thy Holy Spirit
Reveal in us Thy love,
The joy we shall inherit
With Thee, our Head above;
May all this consolation
Our trembling hearts sustain–
Sure–though through tribulation–
The promised rest to gain.
O Jesus! Lamb Of God ( 203 )
O Jesus! Lamb of God,
Who us to save from loss,
Didst taste the bitter cup of death,
Upon the cross.
Most merciful High Priest,
Our Savior, Shepherd, Friend,
‘Tis in Thy love alone we trust
Until the end.
Thou wilt our souls sustain,
Our Guide and strength wilt be,
Until in glory Lord above,
Thy face we see.
Lord, What Is Man? ‘Tis He Who Died ( 219 )
Lord, what is man? ‘Tis He who died
And all Thy nature glorified;
Thy righteousness and grace displayed
When He for sin atonement made;
Obedient unto death, was slain–
Worthy is He o’er all to reign.
Thy counsels ‘ere the world began,
All centered in the Son of man;
Him destined to the highest place,
Head of His church through sovereign grace
To Him enthroned in majesty,
Let every creature bend the knee.
Worthy, O Son of man, art Thou
Of every crown that decks Thy brow;
Worthy art Thou to be adored,
And owned as universal Lord;
O, hasten that long-promised day,
When all shall own Thy rightful sway!
We’ll Praise Thee, Glorious Lord ( 235 )
We’ll praise Thee, glorious Lord,
Who died to set us free,
No earthly songs can joy afford
Like heavenly melody.
Love, that no suffering stayed,
We’ll praise, true love divine;
Love that for us atonement made,
Love that has made us Thine.
Love in Thy lonely life
Of sorrow here below;
Thy words of grace, with mercy rife,
Make grateful praises flow.
Love, that on death’s dark vale
Its sweetest odor spread,
Where sin o’er all seem to prevail
Redemption’s glory shed.
And now we see Thee risen,
Who once for us hast died,
Seated above the highest heav’n:
The Father’s glorified.
Soon wilt Thou take Thy throne,
Thy foes Thy footstool made,
And take us with Thee for Thine own,
In glory love displayed.
Jesus, we wait for Thee,
With Thee to have our part;
What can full joy and blessing be
But being where Thou art?
Lord Jesus Christ, Our Savior Thou ( 251 )
Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior Thou,
With joy we worship Thee,
We know Thou hast redeemed us,
By dying on the tree.
We know the love that brought Thee down,
Down from that bliss in high,
To meet our ruined souls in need,
On Calvary’s cross to die.
Our Savior Jesus–Lord Thou art,
Eternal is Thy love;
Eternal, too, our songs of praise
When with Thee, Lord, above.
E’en now we praise the grace divine,
The love that shines on Thee;
The rich One Thou–for us made poor,
By death to set us free.
We praise, we worship, we adore,
As round Thyself we meet;
Thy beauty, Lord, our souls transports,
While bowing at Thy feet.
Our theme of praise art Thou alone,
Thy cross, Thy work, Thy word:
Oh! who can fathom all Thy love,
Thou living blessed Lord?
A Fullness Resides In Jesus Our Head ( 267 )
A fullness resides in Jesus our Head
A fulness abides to answer all need:
The Father’s good pleasure has laid up a store,
A plentiful treasure, to give to the poor.
Whatever distress awaits us below,
Such plentiful grace the Lord will bestow,
As still shall support us and silence our fear,
And nothing can hurt us while Jesus is near.
When sorrows assail us, or terrors draw nigh,
His love will not fail us, He’ll guard with His eye;
And when we are fainting and ready to fail,
He’ll give what is wanting, and make us prevail.
We trust in His protection; we’ll lean on His might;
We’re sure His direction will guide us aright:
We know who surrounds us, almighty to save;
And no one confounds us the Savior who have.
When We Survey The Wondrous Cross ( 283 )
When we survey the wondrous cross
On which the Lord of glory died,
Our richest gain we count but loss,
And pour contempt on all our pride.
Forbid it Lord, that we should boast,
Save in the death of Christ, our God;
All the vain things that charm us most,
We’d sacrifice them to His blood.
There from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flowed mingled down;
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature ours,
That were an offering far too small;
Love that transcends our highest powers,
Demands our soul, our life, our all.
Let Earthly Themes Now Cease ( 299 )
Let earthly themes now cease,
And joyful let us dwell
On our sweet theme of heavenly peace:
O we’ve enough to tell.
We worship at Thy feet,
We wonder and adore;
The coming glory scarce more sweet
Than sweet the peace before.
Jesus! Life-Giving Sound ( 315 )
Jesus! life-giving sound,
The joy of earth and heaven;
No other help is found,
No other name is given,
In which the sons of man can boast,
But His who seeks and saves the lost.
His name the sinner hears,
And is from guilt set free;
‘Tis music in his ears,
‘Tis life and victory:
His heart o’erflows with sacred joy,
And songs of praise his lips employ.
Jesus! all praise above:
We sing Thy blessed name,
We sing Thy dying love,
Thy rising power proclaim:
But soon, to give Thee worthy praise,
Both heaven and earth their songs shall raise.
Father, Thy Sovereign Love Hs Sought ( 331 )
Father, Thy sovereign love has sought
Captives to sin, gone far from Thee;
The work that Thine own Son hath wrought
Has brought us back in peace and free.
And now as sons before Thy face,
With joyful steps the path we tread,
Which leads us on to that blest place
Prepared for us by Christ our Head.
Thou gav’st us, in eternal love,
To Him to bring us home to Thee,
Suited to Thine own thought above,
As sons like Him, with Him to be
In Thine own house. there love divine
Fills the bright courts with cloudless joy;
But ’tis the love that made us Thine,
Fills all that house without alloy.
O boundless grace! what fills with joy
Unmingled all that enter there,
God’s nature, love without alloy,
Our hearts are given e’en now to share.
God’s righteousness with glory bright,
Which with its radiance fills that sphere,
E’en Christ, of God the power and light,
Our title is that light to share.
O mind divine, so must it be
That glory all belongs to God:
O love divine, that did decree
We should be part, through Jesus’ blood.
O keep us, love divine, near Thee,
That we our nothingness may know
And ever to Thy glory be
Walking in faith while here below.
Gracious Lord! My Heart Is Fixed ( A6 )
Gracious Lord! my heart is fixed
Sing I will, and sing of Thee,
Since the cup that justice mixed
Thou hast drunk, and drunk for me:
Great Deliverer!
Thou hast set the prisoner free.
Many were the chains that bound me,
But the Lord has loosed them all:
Arms of mercy now surround me,
Favors these, nor few, nor small:
Savior keep me!
Keep Thy servant, lest he fall.
Fair the scene that lies before me,
Life eternal Jesus gives;
While He waves His banner o’er me,
Sure His promise!
I shall live because He lives.
When the world would bid me leave Thee,
Telling me of shame and loss,
Savior, guard me, lest I grieve Thee,
Lest I cease to love Thy cross:
This is treasure;
All the rest I count but dross.
Thou Holy One And True ( A22 )
Thou holy One and true,
Our hearts in Thee confide,
And in the circle of Thy love,
As brethren we abide.
In Thee the Father rests,
His own anointed One,
In Thee alone He finds delight,
His well-beloved Son.
In Thee we find delight,
Firstborn ‘mongst brethren Thou;
To Thy dear name alone we cling,
To Thy sure word we bow.
Teach us that name to own,
Whilst waiting, Lord, for Thee;
Unholiness and sin to shun,
From all untruth to flee.
We Adore Thee Evermore; Hallelujah! ( A38 )
We adore Thee evermore; Hallelujah!
Savior, for Thy boundless grace; Hallelujah!
For the cross, whereby to us, Hallelujah!
Sure is made eternal bliss; Hallelujah!
For Thy death which set us free, Hallelujah!
From sin’s cruel slavery; Hallelujah!
For Thine all-atoning blood, Hallelujah!
Which hath brought us nigh to God; Hallelujah!
Come, Ye Sinners Poor And Needy ( A54 )
Come, ye sinners poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore,
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love, and power;
He is able,
He is willing, doubt no more.
Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.
This He gives you,
‘Tis the Spirit’s rising beam.
Come, ye weary, heavy-laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous,
Sinners Jesus came to call.
Agonizing in the garden,
Lo! the Savior prostrate lies;
On the bloody tree behold Him,
Hear Him cry before He dies,
"It is finished!"
Sinner, will not this suffice?
Lo! the Incarnate God ascended,
Pleads the merits of His blood;
Venture on Him, venture freely,
Let no other trust intrude:
None but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.
We Sing Of The Realms Of The Blest ( A70 )
We sing of the realms of the blest,
That country so bright and so fair,
The glorious mansions of rest–
But what must it be to be there?
We tell of its service of love;
The robes which the glorified wear;
The church of the Firstborn above–
But what must it be to be there?
We tell of its freedom from sin,
From sorrow, temptation, and care,
From trials without and within–
But what must it be to be there?
Do Thou, Lord, ‘midst pleasure and woe,
Still for heaven our spirits prepare;
And shortly we also shall know
And feel what it is to be there.
Sing Without Ceasing, Sing ( 12 )
Sing without ceasing, sing
The Savior’s present grace,
How all things shine in light divine
For those who’ve seen His face.
He’s gone within the veil,
For us that place has won;
In Him we stand, a heavenly band
Where He Himself is gone.
There all’s unsullied light,
Our hearts let in its rays;
And heavenly light makes all things bright,
Seen in that blissful gaze.
Such here on earth we are,
Though we in weakness roam;
Our place on high, God’s self so nigh;
His presence is our home.
And stayed by joy divine,
As hireling fills his day,
Through scenes of strife and desert life
We tread in peace our way.
That way is upward still,
Where life and glory are;
Our rest’s above, in perfect love
The glory we shall share.
For ever with the Lord,
For ever like Him then,
And see His face in that blest place,
Our Father’s house in heaven.
Lamb Of God! Thou Now Art Seated ( 28 )
Lamb of God! Thou now art seated
High upon Thy Father’s throne,
All Thy gracious work completed,
All Thy mighty victory won.
Every knee in heaven is bending
To the Lamb for sinner’s slain;
Every voice and heart is swelling,
"Worthy is the Lamb to reign."
Lord, in all Thy power and glory
Still Thy thoughts and eyes are here;
Watching o’er Thy ransomed people
To Thy gracious heart so dear.
Thou for us art interceding,
Everlasting is Thy love;
And a blessed rest preparing
In our Father’s house above.
Lamb of God! Thy faithful promise
Says, "Behold, I quickly come;"
And our hearts, to Thine responsive,
Cry, "Come, Lord, and take us home."
Oh! the rapture that awaits us
When we meet Thee in the air,
And with Thee ascend in triumph,
All Thy deepest joys to share.
Lamb of God! when Thou to glory
Shalt to this sad earth return,
All Thy foes shall quake before Thee,
All who now despise Thee mourn;
Then shall we at Thine appearing
With Thee in Thy kingdom reign,
Thine the praise, and Thine the glory,
Lamb of God, for sinners slain.
Maker Of Earth And Heaven ( 44 )
Maker of earth and heaven,
Whose arm upholds creation,
To Thee we raise the voice of praise,
And bend in adoration.
We praise the power that made us,
We praise the love that blesses;
While every day that rolls away
Thy gracious care confesses.
Though trials and affliction
May cast their shadows o’er us,
Thy love doth throw a heavenly glow
Of light on all before us;
That love has smiled from heaven,
To cheer our path of sadness,
And lead the way through earth’s dark day,
To realms of joy and gladness.
The light of love and glory
Has shone through Christ our Savior
The Crucified–who lived and died,
That we might live for ever.
And since Thy great compassion
Thus brings Thy children near Thee,
May we to praise devote our days,
And keep for ever near Thee.
Our Thanks To God Most High! ( 60 )
Our thanks to God most high!
The Father of our Lord,
The Savior-God is He,
And be His name adored!
O God, Thy mercy shall endure,
Thy word abide for ever sure.
He sent His only Son
And saved us from our woe–
From Satan, guilt, and hell,
And every hurtful foe.
Thy mercy, Lord. shall still endure,
Thy Word abide forever sure.
Give thanks aloud to God,
To God your praises bring,
To God upon His throne
His works and glories sing.
Thy power and grace are still the same,
Let endless praise exalt His name.
Rise, My Soul, Thy God Directs Thee ( 76 )
Rise, my soul, thy God directs thee,
Stranger hands no more impede;
Pass thou on, His hand protects thee,
Strength that has the captive freed.
Is the wilderness before thee,
Desert land where drought abides?
Heavenly springs shall there restore thee,
Fresh from God’s exhaustless tides.
Light divine surrounds thy going,
God Himself shall mark thy way;
Secret blessings, richly flowing,
Lead to everlasting day.
God, thine everlasting portion,
Feeds thee with the mighty’s meat;
Price of Egypt’s hard extortion,
Egypt’s food no more to eat.
Art thou weaned from Egypt’s pleasures?
God in secret thee shall keep,
There unfold His hidden treasures,
There His love’s exhaustless deep.
In the desert God will teach thee
What the God that thou hast found,
Patient, gracious, powerful, holy,
All His grace shall there abound.
On to Canaan’s rest still wending,
E’en thy wants and woes shall bring
Suited grace from high descending,
Thou shalt taste of mercy’s spring.
Though thy way be long and dreary,
Eagle strength He’ll still renew:
Garments fresh and foot unweary
Tell how God hath brought thee through.
When to Canaan’s long-loved dwelling
Love divine thy foot shall bring,
There, with shouts of triumph swelling,
Zion’s songs in rest to sing–
There no stranger–God shall meet thee,
Stranger thou in courts above,
He who to His rest shall greet thee,
Greets thee with a well-known love.
How Sweet Away From Self To Flee ( 92 )
How sweet away from self to flee,
And shelter in our Savior;
Oh! precious grace, with Him’s our place,
In God’s eternal favor.
Jesus the goal before our soul,
The One we know in glory;
While we’re on earth, we’d tell His worth,
A saved one’s sweetest story.
Lord Of Life, And King Of Glory! ( 108 )
Lord of life, and King of glory!
Now to Thee our hearts we raise;
While we sing the joyful story
Of the triumphs of Thy grace.
Long in error’s path benighted,
Deeply sunk in sin’s abyss,
We Thy proffered mercy slighted,
Would not have eternal bliss.
Straying then on sin’s dark mountain,
Thou didst bid us cease to roam,
Make us see the living fountain,
Call with power Thy wanderers home.
Jesus, strength of our salvation,
None can pluck us from Thy hand;
In the hour of dark temptation,
Kept by Thee we safely stand.
Though by enemies surrounded,
Onward still our steps we wend;
All our foes shall be confounded,
Safely come our journey’s end.
Grace begun shall end in glory;
Jesus, He the victory won;
In His own triumphant story
Is the record of our own.
Jesus, Our Lord, Thou Morning Star ( 124 )
Jesus, our Lord, Thou Morning Star,
How well we know Thy name,
Jesus, the Lord, the Crucified,
In glory still the same.
Jesus, the One who left the throne
To save a ruined race,
Thy love and lowliness still shine
Upon that glorious face.
Jesus, the One who trod the earth,
The lowly, subject One,
Obedience unto death was Thine,
God’s well-beloved Son!
Jesus! what mem’ries thrill our hearts
Of Thy blest footprints here,
While now to heaven our eyes we turn
And gaze upon Thee there!
Jesus, our Savior, quickly come!
That we may with Thee be;
Heaven’s morning breaks and glory dawns,
When Thy blest face we see.
O Lord! Our Hearts Are Waiting ( 140 )
O Lord! our hearts are waiting,
Th’ archangel’s heaven-sent cry,
Which wakes the saints now sleeping,
And to Thee brings them nigh.
When we, with them ascending,
Shall meet Thee in the air,
To gaze upon Thy glory,
And all Thy likeness bear.
O hour! for which in patience
Thou’st waited through the night,
Whilst we Thy saints were gathered,
And brought into the light;
Then, then, the church completed,
God makes no more delay;
O Lord, with shouts of triumph,
We pass into the day.
O hour of richest blessing!
When brought to Thee so nigh,
To be Thy joy for ever,
We share Thy throne on high;
To rest in all that brightness,
And ever there abide;
To find Thy heart delighting
In us, Thy ransomed bride.
O blessed, coming Savior!
Speak, then, the joyous word,
To which our hearts responding,
"For ever with the Lord."
For ever with Thee, Savior–
For evermore shall be–
In deepest, fullest blessing,
For ever one with Thee.
"Praise Ye The Lord," Again, Again ( 156 )
"Praise ye the Lord," again, again,
The Spirit strikes the chord;
Nor toucheth He our hearts in vain;
We praise, we praise the Lord.
"Rejoice in Him," again, again,
The Spirit speaks the word,
And faith takes up the happy strain;
Our joy is in the Lord.
"Stand fast in Christ"; ah! yet again
He teacheth all the band;
If human efforts are in vain,
In Christ it is we stand.
"Clean every whit"; Thou saidst it, Lord;
Shall one suspicion lurk?
Thine, surely is a faithful word,
And Thine a finished work.
For ever be the glory given
To Thee, O Lamb of God!
Our every joy on earth in heaven,
We owe it to Thy blood.
O Teach Us More Of Thy Blest Ways ( 172 )
O teach us more of Thy blest ways,
Thou holy Lamb of God!
And fix and root us in Thy grace,
As those redeemed by blood.
O tell us often of Thy love,
Of all Thy grief and pain;
And let our hearts with joy confess
That thence comes all our gain.
For this, O may we freely count
Whate’er we have but loss;
The dearest object of our love,
Compared with Thee, but dross.
Engrave this deeply on our hearts
With an eternal pen,
That we may, in some small degree,
Return Thy love again.
‘Twas On That Night Of Deepest Woe ( 188 )
‘Twas on that night of deepest woe,
When darkness round did thicken,
When through deep waters Thou didst go,
And for our sins wast stricken;
Thou, Lord, didst seek that we should be
With grateful hearts remembering Thee.
How deep the sorrow, who can tell,
Which was for us endured?
O love divine, which broke the spell
Which had our heart allured.
With heart and conscience now set free,
It is our joy to think of Thee.
O Lord, how precious is Thy thought,
How wondrous Thy desire,
To win our hearts, once worse then naught,
Who now by grace aspire
To seek Thy glory, bear Thy shame,
To keep Thy word, and love Thy name.
We know Thee now ascended high,
Ourselves in Thee accepted;
We wait the hour which now draws nigh,
Thy coming long expected.
Till Thou dost come we still would be
With grateful hearts remembering Thee.