We wait for Thee, O Son of God!
And long for Thine appearing;
"A little while" Thou’lt come, O Lord,
Thy waiting people cheering.
Thus hast Thou said: we lift the head
In joyful expectation,
For Thou wilt bring salvation.
We wait for Thee, content to share,
In patience, days of trial;
So meekly Thou the cross didst bear,
Our sin, reproach, denial.
How should not we receive with Thee
The cup of shame and sorrow,
Until the promised morrow?
We wait for Thee, for Thou, e’en here
Hast won our hearts affection,
In spirit still we find Thee near,
Our solace and protection.
In cloudless light, and glory bright,
We soon with joy shall greet Thee,
And in the air shall meet Thee.
We wait for Thee–Thou wilt arise
Whilst hope her watch is keeping
Forgotten then, in glad surprise,
Shall be our years of weeping.
Our hearts beat high, the dawn is nigh
That ends our pilgrim story
In Thine eternal glory!
Category Archives: Hymns for the Little Flock
Hymns for the Little Flock Selected 1856 – Revised 1881
‘Twas Past And O’er, That Dreadful Pain ( 341 )
‘Twas past and o’er, that dreadful pain
When forth the life-blood flowed
That washed our souls from every stain,
That paid the debt we owed.
Cleansed from our sins, renewed by grace,
Thy royal throne above,
Blest Savior, is our destined place,
Our portion there, Thy love.
Thine eye in that bright cloudless day,
Shall, with supreme delight,
Thy fair and glorious bride survey,
Unblemished in Thy sight.
O Jesus, Friend Unfailing ( A16 )
O Jesus, Friend unfailing,
How dear art Thou to me!
Are cares or fears assailing?
I find my strength in Thee!
Why should my feet grow weary
Of this my pilgrim way?
Rough though the path and dreary,
It ends in perfect day!
Naught, naught I court as pleasure,
Compared, O Christ with Thee!
Thy sorrow without measure,
Earned peace and joy for me.
I love to own, Lord Jesus,
Thy claims o’er me divine,
Bought with Thy blood most precious,
Whose can I be but Thine!
What fills my heart with gladness?
‘Tis Thine abounding grace!
Where can I look in sadness,
But, Jesus, on Thy face?
My all is Thy providing,
Thy love can ne’er grow cold;
In Thee, my Refuge hiding,
No good wilt Thou withhold.
Why should I droop in sorrow?
Thou’rt ever by my side!
Why trembling dread the morrow?
What ills can e’er betide?
If I my cross have taken,
‘Tis but to follow Thee;
If scorned, despised, forsaken,
Naught severs Thee from me!
O worldly pomp and glory,
Your charms are spread in vain!
I’ve heard a sweeter story!
I’ve found a truer gain!
Where Christ a place prepareth,
There is my loved abode;
There shall I gaze on Jesus:
There shall I dwell with God.
For every tribulation,
For every sore distress,
In Christ I’ve full salvation,
Sure help and quiet rest.
No fears of foes prevailing!
I triumph, Lord, in Thee!
O Jesus! Friend unfailing,
How dear art Thou to me!
In Weakness And Trial ( A32 )
In weakness and trial,
With God we may plead;
No fear of denial,
We’re sure to succeed:
For, though we oft grieve Him,
His promise is clear,
And love will believe Him:
Our Father will hear.
‘Gainst the giant-like might
Of our foes we can bring,
As our weapons of fight,
But a stone and a sling.
Should this have dismayed us,
Our souls it may cheer,
That , called on to aid us,
Our Father will hear.
Our calls may be faint
As a child’s timid cry,
Our hearts’ feeble plaint
Scarce venture on high;
Yet Christ for us pleading,
We may persevere;
Through Him interceding,
Our Father will hear.
The Father Sent The Son ( A48 )
The Father sent the Son
A ruined world to save;
Man meted to the Sinless One
The cross–the grave;
Blest Substitute from God,
Wrath’s awful cup He drained;
Laid down His life, and e’en the tomb’s
Reproach sustained.
The new and living Way
Stands open now to heaven;
Thence, where the blood is seen alway,
God’s gift is given.
The river of His grace,
Through righteousness supplied,
Is flowing o’er the barren place
Where Jesus died!
The Lord shall come again!
The Conqueror must reign!
No tongue but shall confess Him then,
The Lamb once slain:
Jesus is worthy now
All homage to receive;
O! sinner, to the Savior bow,
The truth believe!
Though All The Beasts That Live And Feed ( A64 )
Though all the beasts that live and feed
Upon a thousand hills should bleed–
Though all their blood should flow,
The sacrifice would not be in vain,
The stain of sin would still remain:
Sin is not cancelled so.
"A better sacrifice" than these
It needs, the conscience to appease
Or satisfy the Lord:
No blood hath virtue to atone
For man’s offence, but His alone
Whose title is "The Word."
His who could say, Himself the Son,
"My Father and Myself are one,"
Who made the world around;
His, who Jehovah’s Fellow stood,
And claimed equality with God,
Whose glory knows no bounds.
Jesus the Christ, on earth His name,
He came–in love to sinners came–
And bowed His head and died;
A full atonement now is made,
The ransom, by His death, is paid,
And justice satisfied.
That sinners might draw near to Him
God planned this great, this gracious scheme,
And planner this great, this gracious scheme,
Let all His saints their voices raise,
And sing the great Redeemer’s praise
While endless ages flow.
Trembling Soul, Behold Thy Savior ( A80 )
Trembling soul, behold thy Savior
Seated on the Father’s throne;
Object of God’s highest favor,
See him, God’s beloved Son!
Once on earth in Bethlehem’s manger,
As a newborn babe He lay,
God come down a heavenly stranger,
Love to sinners to display.
Sinner, see thy God beside thee,
In a servant’s form come near,
Sitting, walking, talking with thee!
Sinai’s mount no longer fear.
See Him weary, yet that sought thee,
Sitting on Samaria’s well,
Or in Simon’s house that found thee,
Snatched thee from the jaws of hell.
See the lonely Man now bending,
In the lone Gethsemane,
Drops of blood His conflict marking
Whilst He prays in agony!
Onward still to Calvary marching,
Onward still He speeds His way
(His own Father’s will fulfilling),
Love to sinners to display.
Sinner, see the bleeding Savior,
Pierced and nailed to Calvary’s tree;
Sacrifice of sweetest savor,
Object of man’s enmity!
See the sun at noonday hidden,
See the rocks and mountains shake,
See the Man ‘midst darkness smitten!
Why did God His Son forsake?
Sinner, hear the wondrous story,
Jesus died and rose for thee,
God in heaven now waits to save thee,
Now, believing, thou art free.
Jesus! How Much Thy Name Unfolds ( 6 )
Jesus! how much Thy name unfolds
To every opened ear;
The pardoned sinner’s memory holds
None other half so dear.
Thy name encircles every grace
That God as man could show;
There only could He fully trace
A life divine below.
Jesus–it speaks a life of love,
Of sorrows meekly borne;
It tells of sympathy above,
Whatever makes us mourn.
Jesus, the One who knew no sin,
Made sin to make us just;
Thou gav’st Thyself our love to win–
Our full confiding trust.
The mention of Thy name shall bow
Our hearts to worship Thee;
The chiefest of ten thousand Thou,
Whose love has set us free.
How Bright, There Above, Is The Mercy Of God! ( 22 )
"How bright, there above, is the mercy of God!"
"And void of all guilt, and clear of all sin,
Is my conscience and heart, through my Savior’s blood."
"Not a cloud above"–"not a spot within."
Christ died! then I am clean "Not a spot within."
"God’s mercy and love! "Not a cloud above."
‘Tis the Spirit, through faith, thus triumphs o’er sin:
"Not a cloud above"–"not a spot within."
O What Shall We Do The Savior To Praise ( 38 )
O what shall we do the Savior to praise,
So faithful and true, so plenteous in grace,
So strong to deliver, to save from all harm
The weakest believer that leans on His arm!
How happy the man whose heart is set free,
The people, O God, that joyful in Thee!
Their joy is to walk in the light of Thy face,
For ever to talk of Thy mercy and grace.
How Sweet The Name Of Jesus Sounds ( 54 )
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,
It calms the troubled breast;
‘Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary rest.
Blest name! the rock on which we build,
Our shield and hiding-place;
Our never-failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace.
Jesus! our Savior, Shepherd, Friend,
Thou Prophet, Priest, and King;
Our Lord, our Life, our Way, our End,
Accept the praise we bring.
Weak is the effort of our heart,
And cold our warmest thought;
But when we see Thee as Thou art,
We’ll praise Thee as we ought.
Till then we would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
And triumph in Thy blessed name
Which quells the power of death.
Sov’reign Grace O’er Sin Abounding ( 70 )
Sov’reign grace o’er sin abounding:
Ransomed souls the tidings swell!
‘Tis a deep that knows no sounding;
Who its length or breadth can tell?
Saved by Christ, we’re free for ever,
This the Spirit’s voice declares!
Death, nor life, nor aught can sever
Jesus from the chosen heirs.
Souls above, in His communion,
Now with Him from conflict rest,
While below, with Christ in union,
We can sing how saints are blest.
O Lord! Thou Now Art Seated ( 86 )
O Lord! Thou now art seated,
Above the heavens, on high,
(The gracious work completed,
For which Thou cam’st to die);
To Thee our hearts are lifted,
While pilgrims wandering here,
For Thou alone art gifted
Our every weight to bear.
We know, Lord, Thou hast bought us,
And washed us in Thy blood;
We know Thy grace has brought us
As kings and priests to God.
We know that that blest morning,
Long looked for, draweth near,
When we, at Thy returning,
In glory shall appear.
O by Thy love constrain us,
And fix our hearts on Thee;
Let nothing henceforth pain us,
But that which paineth Thee;
Our joy, our blest endeavor,
Through suffering, conflict, shame,
To serve Thee, gracious Savior,
And magnify Thy name.
Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs ( 102 )
Come, let us join our cheerful songs,
And thus approach the throne:
Had we ten thousand thousand tongues,
Our theme of joy’s but one:
"Worthy the Lamb that’s gone on high
To be exalted thus;"
"Worthy the Lamb that died," we cry,
"For He was slain for us."
Jesus is worthy to receive
Honor and power divine:
And blessings more than we can give
Be, Lord, for ever Thine.
Soon shall the saints, exalted high,
A glorious anthem raise;
And all that dwell beneath the sky
Speak forth Thine endless praise.
Redeemed creation join in one,
T’ adore the sacred name
Of Him that sits upon the throne,
And to exalt the Lamb.
Awake, Each Saint, In Joyful Lays ( 118 )
Awake, each saint, in joyful lays,
To sing the great Redeemer’s praise;
He justly claims a song from thee;
His loving-kindness, oh how free!
He saw us ruined in the fall,
Yet loved us notwithstanding all;
He saved us from our lost estate:
His loving-kindness, oh how great!
Though numerous hosts of mighty foes,
Though earth and hell our way oppose;
He safely leads His saints along:
His loving-kindness, oh how strong!
When trouble like a gloomy cloud,
Has gathered thick, and thundered loud;
He with His church has always stood:
His loving-kindness, oh how good!
Soon shall we mount and soar away
To the bright realms of endless day,
And sing with rapture and surprise
His loving-kindness in the skies.
Lord Of Glory, We Adore Thee! ( 134 )
Lord of glory, we adore Thee!
Christ of God, ascended high!
Heart and soul we bow before Thee,
Glorious now beyond the sky:
Thee we worship,
Thee we praise–
Excellent in all Thy ways.
Anointed King, with glory crowned,
Rightful heir and Lord of all!
Once rejected, scorned, disowned,
E’en by those Thou cam’st to call:
Thee we honor,
Thee adore–
Glorious now and evermore.
Lord of life! to death once subject;
Blesser, yet a curse once made;
Of Thy Father’s heart the object,
Yet in depths of anguish laid:
Thee we gaze on,
Thee recall–
Bearing here our sorrows all.
Royal robes shall soon invest Thee,
Royal splendors crown Thy brow;
Christ of God, our souls confess Thee
King and Sovereign even now!
Thee we reverence,
Thee obey–
Own Thee Lord and Christ alway.
Thou Art The Everlasting Word ( 150 )
Thou art the everlasting Word,
The Father’s only Son;
God manifest, God seen and heard,
The heaven’s beloved One;
Worthy, O Lamb of God, art Thou
That every knee to Thee should bow.
In Thee most perfectly expressed,
The Father self doth shine;
Fulness of Godhead, too: the Blest,
Eternally divine.
Worthy, etc…
Image of th’ infinite Unseen,
Whose being none can know;
Brightness of light no eye hath seen,
God’s love revealed below.
Worthy, O Lamb of God, art Thou
That every knee to Thee should bow.
The higher mysteries of Thy fame
The creature’s grasp transcend;
The Father only Thy blest name
Of Son can comprehend.
Worthy, etc…
Yet loving Thee, on whom His love
Ineffable doth rest,
The worshippers, O Lord, above,
As one with Thee, are blest:
Worthy, O Lamb of God, art Thou
That every knee to Thee should bow.
Of the vast universe of bliss,
The center Thou, and Sun;
Th’ eternal theme of praise is this,
To heaven’s beloved One:
Worthy, etc…
Lord, Thou Hast Drawn Us After Thee ( 166 )
Lord, Thou hast drawn us after Thee,
Now let us run and never tire;
Thy presence shall our comfort be,
Thyself our hope, our sole desire.
Our present Savior, while nor fear
Nor sin can come if Thou art near.
What in Thy love possess we not?
Our star by night, our sun by day,
Our spring of life when parched with drought:
Our wine to cheer, our bread to stay,
Our strength, our shield, our safe abode,
Our robe before the throne of God!
Unchangeable, Thy gracious love
Our earthly path has ceaseless viewed;
Ere knew our beating heart to move,
Thy tender mercies still pursued;
Ever with us may They abide,
And close us in on every side.
Our Tongues Shall Spread The Savior’s Fame ( 182 )
Our tongues shall spread the Savior’s fame,
Whose grace we daily prove,
For since our souls have known His name,
His banner has been–Love.
When walking in the paths of sin,
We far from Him did rove,
By sweet constraint He drew us in,
And waved His banner–Love.
He spread the banquet, made us eat,
Bid all our fears remove;
Yea, o’er our guilty, rebel heads
He placed His banner–Love.
When weary of His rich repast,
We’ve sought, alas! to rove,
He has recalled His faithless guest,
And shown His banner–Love.
In every conflict we sustain,
Our enemies shall prove,
Through Him the victory we obtain,
Beneath His banner–Love.
And when He calls us home at length,
To feast with Him above,
Through eternity we’ll sing
His never-changing love.
Lord Accept Our Feeble Song! ( 198 )
Lord accept our feeble song!
Power and praise to Thee belong;
We would all Thy grace record,
Holy, holy, holy, Lord!
Rich in glory, Thou didst stoop,
Thence is all Thy people’s hope;
Thou wast poor, that we might be
Rich in glory, Lord, with Thee.
When we think of love like this,
Joy and shame our hearts possess;
Joy, that Thou couldst pity thus;
Shame, for such returns from us.
Yet we hope the day to see
When, from every hindrance free,
When to Thee, in glory, brought,
We shall serve Thee as we ought.
How Blessed Is Our Portion! When We Look ( 214 )
How blessed is our portion! when we look
Upward, within the veil, our life is there:
Our names are written in the Lamb’s own book,
For grace hath made us each with Him an heir
Of all those glories which by right belong
To Him , whose worthiness is heaven’s eternal song.
We have a Father in the heavens above,
We have a happy home prepared on high,
We have a Savior whose surpassing love
Made Him content e’en for our sins to die;
He fought, and has our cruel foes o’ercome
And has engaged to guard, and bring us safely home.
Yes! blessed is our portion! blessed He,
Who, in His grace before the world began,
Did set on us His love, sovereign and free,
On us the sinful heirs of dying man:
And blest us with all blessings in His Son
Whose priceless love our hearts from sin and folly won.
O Lord! When We The Path Retrace ( 230 )
O Lord! when we the path retrace
Which Thou on earth hast trod,
To man Thy wondrous love and grace,
Thy faithfulness to God;
Thy love, by man so sorely tried,
Proved stronger than the grave;
The very spear that pierced Thy side
Drew forth the blood to save;
Faithful amidst unfaithfulness,
‘Mid darkness only light,
Thou didst Thy Father’s name confess,
And in His will delight;
Unmoved by Satan’s subtle wiles,
Or suffering, shame and loss,
Thy path uncheered by earthly smiles,
Led only to the cross:–
We wonder at Thy lowly mind,
And fain would like Thee be,
And all our rest and pleasure find
In learning more of Thee.
From Every Stormy Wind That Blows ( 246 )
From every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sweet retreat;
‘Tis found before the mercy-seat.
There is a place where mercy sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads;
A place than all beside more sweet–
It is the heavenly mercy-seat.
There is a place where souls unite,
And saint meets saint in heavenly light;
Though sundered far, by faith they meet
Before the common mercy-seat.
Ah! whither could we flee for aid
When tempted, desolate, dismayed?
Or how the hosts of hell defeat,
Had suffering saints no mercy-seat?
Thither by faith we upward soar,
And time and sense seem all no more,
For freely God our souls can greet
Where glory crowns the mercy-seat.
To Wait For That Important Day ( 262 )
To wait for that important day,
When Christ His glorious power’ll display,
Be this our one great care:
To do His will, our business here;
No toil to shun, no danger fear;
Resolved our cross to bear.
And though He should prolong His stay,
And sinners mock at the delay,
His people need not fear;
The Man who wore the crown of thorns,
Whose claim the world rejects and scorns,
In glory will appear.
In patience, then, we now may rest
(Assured the Father’s time is best),
And all His word obey:
We wait till that blest day shall come
When Jesus will convey us home,
And all His power display.
Savior, We Long To Follow Thee ( 278 )
Savior, we long to follow Thee,
Daily Thy cross to bear,
And count all else, whate’er it be,
Unworthy of our care.
We are not now our own, but Thine,
The purchase of Thy blood,
And made, by grace and love divine,
The sons and heirs of God.
Thy Spirit, too, the present seal
Of all The Father’s love,
Dwells in our souls and does reveal
The glorious rest above.
Thy life is now beyond the grave;
Our souls Thou hast set free;
Life, strength, and grace in Thee we have,
For we are one with Thee.
O teach us so the power to know
Of risen life with Thee;
Not we may live while here below,
But Christ our life may be.
O Come, Thou Stricken Lamb Of God! ( 294 )
O come, Thou stricken Lamb of God!
Who shed’st for us Thine own life blood,
And teach us all Thy love:–then pain
In life were sweet, and death were gain.
Take Thou our hearts, and let them be
For ever closed to all but Thee;
Thy willing servants, let us wear
The seal of love for ever there.
How blest are they who still abide,
Close sheltered by Thy watchful side;
Who life and strength from Thee receive,
And with Thee move, and in Thee live.
Ah, Lord! enlarge our scanty thought,
To know the wonders Thou hast wrought;
Unloose our stammering tongues to tell
Thy love, immense, unsearchable.
Firstborn of many brethren, Thou!
To whom both heaven and earth must bow;
Heirs of Thy shame and of Thy throne,
We bear Thy cross and seek Thy crown.
Father, O How Vast The Blessing ( 310 )
THE CHURCH
Father, O how vast the blessing,
When Thy Son returns again!
Then the church, its rest possessing,
O’er the earth with Him shall reign.
ISRAEL
For the fathers’ sakes beloved,
Israel, in Thy grace restored,
Shall on earth, the curse removed,
Be the people of the Lord.
Rev. vii.
Then, too, countless myriads, wearing
Robes made white in Jesus’ blood,
Palms (like rested pilgrims) bearing,
Stand before the throne of God:–
These, redeemed from every nation,
Shall in triumph bless Thy name;
Every voice shall cry, "Salvation
To our God and to the Lamb."
As Debtors To Mercy Alone ( 326 )
As debtors to mercy alone,
Of heavenly mercy we sing;
Nor fear to draw near to the throne,
Our person and offerings to bring:
The wrath of a sin-hating God
With us can have nothing to do;
The Savior’s obedience and blood
Hide all our 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, not things that are now,
Nor all things below nor above,
Can make Him His purpose forego,
Or sever our souls from His love.
Our names, from the palms of His hands
Eternity will not erase:
Impressed on His heart they remain,
In marks of indelible grace:
And we to the end shall endure,
As sure as the earnest is given;
More happy, but not more secure,
The spirits departed to heaven.
Forgiveness! ‘Twas A Joyful Sound ( A1 )
Forgiveness! ’twas a joyful sound
To guilty sinners doomed to die:
We’d publish it the world around,
And gladly shout it through the sky.
‘Twas the rich gift of love divine;
‘Tis full, effacing every crime;
Unbounded shall its glory shine,
And know no change by changing time.
For this stupendous gift of heaven,
What grateful honors shall we show!
Where much transgression is forgiven,
May love with fervent ardor glow.
By love inspired, may all our days
With every heavenly grace be crowned;
May truth and goodness, joy and praise,
In all abide, in all abound.
Son Of The Father, Hail! ( A17 )
Son of the Father, Hail!
Son of God eternal!
Jesus! the sinner’s Friend,
Whose favor knows no end;
Love made Thee condescend,
With men to make abode,
And, through Thy precious blood,
We’re now brought nigh to God.
Thee, Savior-Lord, we bless–
Our Lord Jesus!
Full of truth and power:
Highly blessed,
Blessed evermore.