Once our gentle, loving Savior,
Was a child like you and me;
Come, and hear the precious story,
Naught on earth so sweet can be.

Refrain

Come, and hear the precious story,
How He came the lost to save;
How His life was only sorrow,
From the cradle, the cradle to the grave.

Come, and hear the precious story,
How our blessèd Lord was slain;
Once He gave Himself our ransom,
Now for us He lives again.

Refrain

Come, and hear the precious story,
Though repeated o’er and o’er;
Still, it always tell us something
That we never knew before.

Refrain

O how much we ought to thank Him
For the many gifts we share;
O how much we ought to praise Him
For His kind and watchful care.

Refrain

Dear Savior, if these lambs should stray,
From Thy secure enclosure’s bound,
And, lured by worldly joys away,
Among the thoughtless crowd be found,

Remember still that they are Thine,
That Thy dear sacred Name they bear,
Think that the seal of love divine
The sign of covenant grace they wear.

In all their erring, sinful years,
Oh, let them ne’er forgotten be;
Remember all the prayers and tears
Which made them consecrate to Thee.

And when these lips no more can pray,
These eyes can weep for them no more,
Turn Thou their feet from folly’s way,
The wanderers to Thy fold restore.

Lovingly the Shepherd,
Seeking the lost sheep,
Found it tired and hungry
On the mountain steep.

Refrain

Jesus paid the price, great the pain and loss;
To redeem the world, at great pain and loss.
To redeem the world, to redeem the world,
Jesus Christ laid down His life upon the cross.

Precious is the lost coin,
Sought with love and care,
And with joy the owner
Found her treasure rare.

Refrain

Tenderly the Father
Welcomes home His son;
Though once dead he liveth,
Love at last has won.

Refrain

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!”

All praise to our redeeming Lord,
Who joins us by His grace;
And bids us, each to each restored,
Together seek His face.

He bids us build each other up;
And, gathered into one,
To our high calling’s glorious hope,
We hand in hand go on.

The gift which He on one bestows,
We all delight to prove;
The grace through every vessel flows,
In purest streams of love.

E’en now we think and speak the same,
And cordially agree;
Concentered all, through Jesus’ Name,
In perfect harmony.

We all partake the joy of one;
The common peace we feel;
A peace to sensual minds unknown,
A joy unspeakable.

And if our fellowship below
In Jesus be so sweet,
What height of rapture shall we know
When round His throne we meet!

Be still, my soul! for God is near!
The great High Priest is with thee now;
The Lord of life Himself is near,
Before Whose face the angels bow.

To make thy heart His lowly throne
Thy Savior God in love draws nigh;
He gives Himself unto His own,
For whom He once came down to die.

He pleads before the mercy-seat;
He pleads with God, He pleads for thee;
He gives thee bread from Heav’n to eat,
His flesh and blood in mystery.

I come, O Lord! for Thou dost call—
To blend my pleading prayer with Thine;
To Thee I give myself—my all,
And feed on Thee and make Thee mine.

Come, Thou soul-transforming Spirit,
Bless the sower and the seed;
Let each heart Thy grace inherit;
Raise the weak, the hungry feed;
From the Gospel, now supply Thy people’s need.

O may all enjoy the blessing
Which Thy Word’s designed to give;
Let us all, Thy love possessing,
Joyfully the truth receive,
And forever to Thy praise and glory live.

The Holy Ghost is here,
Where saints in prayer agree,
As Jesus’ parting Gift is near
Each pleading company.

Not far away is He,
To be by prayer brought nigh,
But here in present majesty,
As in His courts on high.

He dwells within our soul,
An ever welcome Guest;
He reigns with absolute control,
As Monarch in the breast.

Obedient to Thy will,
We wait to feel Thy power;
O Lord of life, our hopes fulfill,
And bless this hallowed hour.

How charming is the place
Where my Redeemer God
Unveils the beauties of His face,
And sheds His love abroad.

Not the fair palaces
To which the great resort,
Are once to be compared with this,
Where Jesus holds His court.

Here, on the mercy seat,
With radiant glory crowned,
Our joyful eyes behold Him sit,
And smile on all around.

To Him their prayers and cries
Each humble soul presents:
He listens to their broken sighs,
And grants them all their wants.

To them His sovereign will
He graciously imparts;
And in return accepts, with smiles,
The tribute of their hearts.

Give me, O Lord, a place
Within Thy blest abode,
Among the children of Thy grace,
The servants of my God.

In Thy Name, O Lord, assembling,
We, Thy people, now draw near;
Teach us to rejoice with trembling,
Speak, and let Thy servants hear—
Hear with meekness,
Hear Thy Word with godly fear.

While our days on earth are lengthened,
May we give them, Lord, to Thee;
Cheered by hope, and daily strengthened,
May we run, nor weary be,
Till Thy glory
Without clouds in Heav’n we see.

There in worship purer, sweeter,
Thee Thy people shall adore;
Tasting of enjoyment greater
Far than thought conceived before—
Full enjoyment,
Full, unmixed, and evermore.

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.

Jesus, we look to Thee,
Thy promised presence claim;
Thou in the midst of us shall be,
Assembled in Thy Name.

Thy Name salvation is,
Which here we come to prove;
Thy Name is life, and health, and peace,
And everlasting love.

Not in the name of pride
Or selfishness we meet;
From nature’s paths we turn aside,
And worldly thoughts forget.

We meet, the grace to take
Which Thou hast freely giv’n;
We meet on earth for Thy dear sake
That we may meet in Heav’n.

Present we know Thou art;
But, O, Thyself reveal!
Now, Lord, let ev’ry waiting heart
The mighty comfort feel.

O may Thy quickening voice
The death of sin remove;
And bid our inmost souls rejoice,
In hope of perfect love.

Jesus, where’er Thy people meet,
There they behold Thy mercy seat;
Where’er they seek Thee Thou art found,
And every place is hallowed ground.

For Thou, within no walls confined,
Inhabitest the humble mind;
Such ever bring Thee, where they come,
And, going, take Thee to their home.

Dear Shepherd of Thy chosen few,
Thy former mercies here renew;
Here, to our waiting hearts, proclaim
The sweetness of Thy saving Name.

Here may we prove the power of prayer
To strengthen faith and sweeten care;
To teach our faint desires to rise,
And bring all Heav’n before our eyes.

Behold at Thy commanding word,
We stretch the curtain and the cord;
Come Thou, and fill this wider space,
And bless us with a large increase.

Lord, we are few, but Thou art near;
Nor short Thine arm, nor deaf Thine ear;
O rend the heavens, come quickly down,
And make a thousand hearts Thine own!

Lord Jesus, Christ, be present now,
Our hearts in true devotion bow,
Thy Spirit send with grace divine,
And let Thy truth within us shine.

Unseal our lips to sing Thy praise,
Our souls to Thee in worship raise,
Make strong our faith, increase our light
That we may know Thy Name aright.

Until we join the hosts that cry,
“Holy art Thou, O Lord, most high!”
And in the light of that blest place
Fore’er behold Thee face to face.

Glory to God the Father, Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One!
To Thee, O blessèd Trinity,
Be praise throughout eternity!

Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide,
For round us falls the eventide;
Nor let Thy Word, that heav’nly light,
For us be ever veiled in night.

In these last days of sore distress
Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness
That pure we keep, till life is spent,
Thy holy Word and sacrament.

Lord Jesus, help, Thy Church uphold,
For we are sluggish, thoughtless, cold.
Oh, prosper well Thy Word of grace
And spread its truth in every place!

Oh, keep us in Thy Word, we pray;
The guile and rage of Satan stay!
Oh, may Thy mercy never cease!
Give concord, patience, courage, peace.

O God, how sin’s dread works abound!
Throughout the earth no rest is found,
And falsehood’s spirit wide has spread,
And error boldly rears its head.

The haughty spirits, Lord, restrain
Who o’er Thy Church with might would reign
And always set forth something new,
Devised to change Thy doctrine true.

And since the cause and glory, Lord,
Are Thine, not ours, to us afford
Thy help and strength and constancy,
With all our heart we trust in Thee.

A trusty weapon is Thy Word,
Thy Church’s buckler, shield, and sword.
Oh, let us in its power confide
That we may seek no other guide!

Oh, grant that in Thy holy Word
We here may live and die, dear Lord;
And when our journey endeth here,
Receive us into glory there.

Not here, as to the prophet’s eye,
The Lord upon His throne appears;
Nor seraphim responsive cry,
“Holy! thrice holy!” in our ears:

Yet God is present in this place,
Veiled in serener majesty;
So full of glory, truth and grace,
That faith alone such light can see.

Nor, as He in the temple taught,
Is Christ within these walls revealed,
When blind, and deaf, and dumb were brought,
Lepers and lame, and all were healed:

Yet here, when two or three shall meet
Or thronging multitudes are found,
All may sit down at Jesus’ feet,
And hear from Him the joyful sound.

Send forth the seraphim, O Lord,
To touch Thy servants’ lips with fire;
Savior, give them Thy faithful Word;
Come, Holy Ghost, their hearts inspire.

O come all ye saints, in glorious dress,
Arrayed in His love, and His righteousness.
Come sing in His presence, come speak of His grace
He’s standing among us, behold His dear face.

With hearts ready tuned, our voices entwine
Together we’ll sing His praises divine.
Lift high the great chorus, yea sound it abroad
To Jesus our Saviour, omnipotent God.

O glad is the soul and joyful the heart,
That centres the thoughts, so none can depart,
From worshipping Jesus, from praising His name
This then is that river, and this is His fame.

Bless ye then the Lord, who serve day and night,
Who stand in His house, a wonderful sight
Where seraphs are bowing, where angels attend,
The seat of His mercy, where praises all blend.

Say “Yes” to His praise, and “Yes” for His love
Speak often of peace that comes from above.
Call mercy, a river, watch grace flowing through
This glorious salvation, says this is for you.

Our theme then shall be to worship the Lord
In spirit to sing the truth of His word
Come join in our praises, the anthems prolong
For Jesus is coming, that day won’t be long.

O God, though countless worlds of light,
Thy power and glory show,
Though round Thy throne, above all height,
Immortal seraphs glow—

Yet, Lord, where’er Thy saints apart
Are met for praise and prayer,
Wherever sighs a contrite heart,
Thou, gracious God, art there.

With grateful joy, Thy children rear
This temple, Lord, to Thee;
Long may they sing Thy praises here,
And here Thy beauty see.

Here, Savior, deign Thy saints to meet;
With peace their hearts to fill;
And here, like Sharon’s odors sweet,
May grace divine distill.

Here may Thy truth fresh triumphs win;
Eternal Spirit, here.
In many a heart now dead in sin,
A living temple rear.

O seek the Lord in prayer
And fall down at Christ’s feet,
As two or three are gathered there,
Entreaties shall Christ meet!
Be whole! Be well! Be holy in the Lord!

Though we were reckoned lost
And numbered with the dead,
Christ came to suffer on the cross,
To grant us life instead!
Be whole! Be well! Be holy in the Lord!

The touch of Christ brings strength,
Makes well and makes alive;
All who are languishing in pain,
Christ ventures to revive!
Be whole! Be well! Be holy in the Lord!

Be calm and do not fear;
Be thoroughly restored!
May joy replace each anguished tear;
The joy of Christ the Lord!
Be whole! Be well! Be holy in the Lord!

O that I could, in every place,
By faith behold Jehovah’s face;
My strict Observer see
Present, my heart and reins to try
And feel the influence of His eye
For ever fixed on me!

Discerning Thee, my Savior, stand
My Advocate at God's right hand,
I never shall remove;
I cannot fall, upheld by Thee,
Or sin against the majesty
Of omnipresent Love.

Now, Savior, now appear, appear,
And let me always see Thee near,
And know as I am known:
My spirit to Thyself unite,
And bear me through a sea of light
To that eternal throne.

O where is He that trod the sea,
O where is He that spake;
And demons from their victims flee,
The dead their slumbers break:
The palsied rise in freedom strong,
The dumb men talk and sing,
And from blind eyes, benighted long,
Bright beams of morning spring?

O where is He that trod the sea,
O where is He that spake,
And piercing words of liberty
The deaf ears open shake;
And mildest words arrest the haste
Of fever’s deadly fire,
And strong ones heal the weak who waste
Their life in sad desire?

O where is He that trod the sea,
O where is He that spake,
And dark waves rolling heavily
A glassy smoothness take;
And lepers, whose own flesh has been
A solitary grave,
See with amaze that they are clean,
And cry, “’Tis He can save”?

O where is He that trod the sea?
’Tis only He can save;
To thousands hungering wearily
A wondrous meal He gave;
Full soon, celestially fed,
Their rustic fare they take;
’Twas springtide when He blest the bread,
And harvest when He brake.

O where is He that trod the sea?
My soul, the Lord is here:
Let all thy fears be hushed in thee;
To leap, to look, to hear
Be thine: thy needs He’ll satisfy.
Art thou diseased or dumb,
Or dost thou in thine hunger cry?
“I come,” saith Christ, “I come.”

Oh, how sweet when we mingle with kindred spirits here,
And tell of Jesus and His love!
When by faith we can see Him, and feel His presence near,
And lift our longing souls above.

Refrain

We shall meet on the banks of the river,
Happy, happy there forevermore!
We shall dwell with the angels, and join with choral song,
Our loved ones, loved ones gone before.

We are pilgrims of Zion, though trials we must bear,
Which all are blessings in disguise:
Though the cross may be heavy, the crown we soon shall wear
In Heav’n, where pleasure never dies.

Refrain

When we walk through the valley and shadow of the tomb,
Dear Savior, Thou wilt be our Guide:
And Thy smile like a sunbeam will light beyond the gloom,
And keep Thy people at Thy side.

Refrain

See, Jesus, Thy disciples see,
The promised blessing give!
Met in Thy Name, we look to Thee,
Expecting, to receive.

Thee we expect, our faithful Lord,
Who in Thy Name are joined;
We wait, according to Thy Word,
Thee in the midst to find.

With us Thou art assembled here,
But O Thyself reveal!
Son of the living God, appear!
Let us Thy presence feel.

Breathe on us, Lord, in this our day,
And these dry bones shall live;
Speak peace into our hearts, and say,
“The Holy Ghost receive!”

Whom now we seek, O may we meet!
Jesus, the Crucified,
Show us Thy bleeding hands and feet,
Thou Who for us hast died.

Cause us the record to receive,
Speak, and the tokens show;
“O be not faithless, but believe
In Me, who died for you!”

This day in Jesus’ Name we meet,
Our Lord, Redeemer, King;
This day around Thy mercy seat
We all Thy praises sing;
Thou gavest us this day of rest,
Of holiness divine;
Lend comfort to each troubled breast,
And make us ever Thine.

Oppressed with earthly toil and pains
The weary week did close;
Yet God’s own day of peace remains
When spirits seek repose.
Let Sunday’s sweet refreshing dew
All with’ring cares dispel;
Let Sabbath joys our strength renew,
Help us Thy goodness tell.

Be with us, as Thy servant asks,
Thy mercies to prolong;
Grant that by prayer we know our tasks,
Let incense rise with song.
O may this be a day of light
To nations far and near;
Let all men see Thy visage bright,
Thy loving message hear.

Unto Thy temple, Lord, we come
With thankful hearts to worship Thee;
And pray that this may be our home
Until we touch eternity.

The common home of rich and poor,
Of bond and free, and great and small;
Large as Thy love forevermore,
And warm and bright and good to all.

And dwell Thou with us in this place,
Thou and Thy Christ, to guide and bless!
Here make the wellspring of Thy grace
Like fountains in the wilderness.

May Thy whole truth be spoken here;
Thy Gospel light forever shine;
Thy perfect love cast out all fear,
And human life become divine.

We rear not a temple, like Judah’s of old,
Whose portals were marble, whose vaultings were gold;
No incense is lighted, no victims are slain,
No monarch kneels praying to hallow the fane.

More simple and lowly the walls that we raise,
And humbler the pomp of procession and praise,
Where the heart is the altar whence incense shall roll,
And Messiah the King Who shall pray for the soul.

O Father, come in! but not in the cloud
Which filled the bright courts where Thy chosen ones bowed;
But come in that Spirit of glory and grace,
Which beams on the soul and illumines the face.

O come in the power of Thy life giving Word,
And reveal to each heart its Redeemer and Lord;
Till faith bring the peace to the penitent giv’n,
And love fill the air with the fragrance of Heav’n.

The pomp of Moriah has long passed away,
And soon shall our frailer erection decay;
But the souls that are builded in worship and love
Shall be temples of God, everlasting above.

Where two or three, with sweet accord,
Obedient to their sovereign Lord,
Meet to recount His acts of grace,
And offer solemn prayer and praise;

“There,” says the Savior, “will I be,
Amid this little company;
To them unveil My smiling face,
And shed My glories round the place.”

We meet at Thy command, dear Lord,
Relying on Thy faithful Word:
Now send Thy Spirit from above,
Now fill our hearts with heavenly love.

If you could see Christ standing here tonight,
His thorn-crowned head and piercèd hands could view,
Could see those eyes that beam with Heav’n’s own light,
And hear Him say—“Belovèd, ’twas for you.”

Refrain

Would you believe, and Jesus receive,
If He were standing here?
Would you believe, and Jesus receive,
If He were standing here?

If you could see that face, so calm and sweet,
Those lips that spoke words only pure and true,
Could see the nail prints in His tender feet,
And hear Him say—“Belovèd, ’twas for you.”

Refrain

He whispers to your heart, turn not away,
For He’s beside you in your narrow pew;
If you will listen, you will hear Him say,
In loving tones—“Belovèd, ’twas for you.”

Will you believe, and Jesus receive?
For He is standing here;
Will you believe, and Jesus receive?
For He is standing here.

Remember Christ, our Savior
Who paid the debts you owed
To God the Heavenly Father
And to you mercy showed.
When others sin against you
Be ready to forgive.
Since you have been forgiven
With them in peace now live.

Go first to find your brother,
Your sister or your friend.
Do not reveal to others
The hurt you need to mend.
Confront in humble spirit
The one whose sin caused pain
That he might seek forgiveness
And you a friend regain.

When bitter anger tempts you
To nurse your broken heart
With brooding thoughts of hatred
And vows of vengeance start.
Pray to the Lord of Pardon
For power to release
Each selfish act against you
That rage might in you cease.

O Father, Son, and Spirit,
O Patient Trinity,
Who lifts from us sin’s burden
And from its debt sets free.
Grant us the will to pardon
All those who us offend
That we might enter heaven
With them when ages end.