TO-DAY Thy mercy calls us
To wash away our sin;
However great our trespass,
Whatever we have been.
However long from mercy
Our hearts have turned away,
Thy precious blood can cleanse us
And make them white to-day.
2 To-day our Father calls us,
And all who enter in
Shall find a Father's welcome
And pardon for their sin.
The past shall be forgotten,
A present joy be given,
A future grace be promised,
A glorious crown in heaven.
3 0 all-embracing mercy,
O ever open door,
What should we do without Thee
When heart and eye run o'er?
When all things seem against us
To drive us to despair,
We know one heart is open,
One ear will hear our prayer.
I NEED Thee, precious Jesus,
For I am full of sin;
My soul is dark and guilty,
My heart is dead within;
I need the cleansing fountain
Where I can always flee,
The blood of Christ most precious,
The sinner's perfect plea.
2 I need Thee, precious Jesus,
For I am very poor;
A stranger and a pilgrim,
I have no earthly store;
I need the love of Jesus
To cheer me on my way,
To guide my doubting footsteps,
To be my strength and stay.
3 I need Thee, precious Jesus,
And hope to see Thee soon,
Encircled with the rainbow,
And seated on Thy throne:
There, with Thy blood-bought children,
My joy shall ever be,
To sing Thy praises, Jesus,
To gaze, my Lord, on Thee.
Frederick Whitfield 1855
"COME unto Me, ye weary,
And I will give you rest."
O blesséd voice of Jesus,
Which comes to hearts oppressed! It tells of benediction,
Of pardon, grace, and peace, Of joy that hath no ending,
Of love which cannot cease.
2 "Come unto Me, ye wanderers,
And I will give you light."
O loving voice of Jesus,
Which comes to cheer the night!
Our hearts were filled with sadness,
And we had lost our way,
But morning brings us gladness,
And songs the break of day.
3 "Come unto Me, ye fainting, And I will give you life."
O cheering voice of Jesus,
Which comes to aid our strife! The foe is stern and eager,
The fight is fierce and long; But Thou hast made us mighty, And stronger than the strong.
4 "And whosoever cometh, I will not cast him out." O welcome voice of Jesus,
Which drives away our doubt!
Which calls us, very sinners,
Unworthy though we be
Of love so free and boundless,
To come, dear Lord, to Thee!
William Chatterton Dix 1871
O JESUS, Thou art standing
Outside the fast-closed door,
In lowly patience waiting
To pass the threshold o'er:
Shame on us, Christian brethren,
His name and sign who bear,
O shame, thrice shame upon us,
To keep Him standing there.
2 O Jesus, Thou art knocking:
And lo, that hand is scarred,
And thorns Thy brow encircle,
And tears Thy face have marred.
LANDON 7s, 6.
O love that passeth knowledge,
So patiently to wait!
O sin that hath no equal,
So fast to bar the gate!
3 O Jesus, thou art pleading
In accents meek and low,
"I died for you, My children,
And will ye treat Me so?"
O Lord, with shame and sorrow
We open now the door:
Dear Saviour, enter, enter,
And leave us never more.
William Walsham How 1854
FATHER, hear Thy children's call:
Humbly at Thy feet we fall,
Prodigals, confessing all:
We beseech Thee, hear us.
2 We Thy call have disobeyed, Have neglected, and delayed,
Into paths of sin have strayed:-REF.
3 By the gracious saving call Spoken tenderly to all
Who have shared man's guilt and fall:-REF
4 Lead us daily nearer Thee,
Till at last Thy face we see,
Crowned with Thine own purity:-REF.
Thomas Benson Pollock 1871
O JESUS, our Salvation,
Low at Thy cross we lie;
Lord in Thy great compassion,
Hear our bewailing cry.
We come to Thee with mourning,
We come to Thee in woe;
With contrite hearts returning,
And tears that overflow.
2 O gracious Intercessor,
O Priest within the veil,
Plead, for each lost transgressor,
The blood that cannot fail.
We spread our sins before Thee,
We tell them one by one;
O for Thy name's great glory,
Forgive all we have done.
3 O by Thy cross and passion,
Thy tears and agony,
And crown of cruel fashion,
And death on Calvary;
By all that untold suffering
Endured by Thee alone;
O Christ, O spotless offering,
Plead for us, and atone.
James Hamilton ab. 1865
We stand in deep repentance,
Before Thy throne of love;
O God of grace, forgive us,
The stain of guilt remove;
Behold us while with weeping
We lift our eyes to Thee; And all our sins subduing,
Our Father, set us free!
2 O shouldst Thou from us, fallen,
Withhold Thy grace to guide,
Forever we should wander
From Thee, and peace, aside;
But Thou to spirits contrite
Dost light and life impart,
That man may learn to serve Thee
With thankful, joyous heart.
3 Our souls-on Thee we cast them, Our only refuge Thou!
Thy cheering words revive us,
When pressed with grief we bow:
Thou bear'st the trusting spirit
Upon Thy loving breast,
And givest all Thy ransomed
A sweet, unending rest.
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