Thoro Harris, the author of today’s hymn, was born in Washington D.C. in 1874. He was a gifted songwriter and after graduation moved to Boston to enter the publishing business. In 1902 he produced the first of dozens of hymnals and song collections. As a result of his success, Harris was invited by Peter Bilhorn to move to Chicago who was active in Christian music, working with evangelists Billy Sunday, D.L. Moody, and George Stebbins¹. Enjoy this accapalla version!

Who can cheer the heart like Jesus,
By His presence all divine?
True and tender, pure and precious,
O how blest to call Him mine!
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

Love of Christ so freely given,
Grace of God beyond degree,
Mercy higher than the heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea!
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

What a wonderful redemption!
Never can a mortal know
How my sin, tho red like crimson,
Can be whiter than the snow.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

Ev’ry need His hand supplying,
Ev’ry good in Him I see,
On His strength divine relying,
He is all in all to me.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.

By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing,
And forever and forever
Praise and glorify the King.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus,
He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see.