Joseph Hart (1712-1768) was born in London, where he became an independent Calvinist preacher converted by the Moravians. This hymn never made it into any of the collections published by John and Charles Wesley, perhaps because Hart was critical of one of John Wesley’s sermons in a tract he published, “The Unreasonableness of Religion, Being Remarks and Animadversion on the Rev. John Wesley’s Sermon on Romans 8:22”, however it was included in Spence’s Pocket Hymn-Book (1785); Carlton Young notes that Hart’s “hymns ranked with those of Isaac Watts in popularity among independent hymn writers. Later in the 19th century, Ira D. Sankey, the musical partner of evangelist Dwight L. Moody, included this hymn in his famous Gospel Hymns, Nos. 1 to 6 Complete (1894). The anonymous refrain, beginning with “I will arise and go to Jesus,” was found in Southern hymnbooks as early as 1811, and the opening line changed from “poor and wretched” to “poor and needy” by Augustus Toplady¹.

Come, you sinners, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, joined with pow’r.

Refrain
I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Saviour,
O there are ten thousand charms.

Come, you thirsty, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.

Refrain

Come, you weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.

Refrain

View Him prostrate in the garden;
On the ground your Maker lies.
On the bloody tree behold Him;
Sinner, will this not suffice?

Refrain

Lo! Th’incarnate God ascended,
Pleads the merit of His blood:
Venture on Him, venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.

Refrain

Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.

Refrain

¹umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-come-ye-sinners-poor-and-needy

According to the editor of The Oxford Edition of the Works of John Wesley (Oxford: Clarendon, 1975-1983, vol. 7), “And Can It Be” was written immediately after Charles Wesley’s conversion (May 21, 1738). Wesley knew his Bible well prior to this time, but had not yet experienced assurance of new birth or the fulness of grace in his life. The editor also that it was probably this hymn, or “Where Should My Wond’ring Soul Begin?” that was sung late on the evening of his brother John’s Aldersgate Street conversion just three days later on May 24¹.

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Refrain:
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

‘Tis mystery all! Th’Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
‘Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

Refrain

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Refrain

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

Refrain

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

¹thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/charles-wesleys-and-can-it-be-background-and-scriptural-allusions/

Horatius Bonar was born in Edinburgh, December 19, 1808. His father was a lawyer, but he came from a long line of eminent Scottish ministers. His mother was a gentle, pious woman, and it was largely through her influence that her three sons, John, Horatius and Andrew, entered the ministry of the Church of Scotland. In one of the most squalid parts of the city he conducted services and Sunday school in a hall. The children did not seem to enjoy singing the Psalm paraphrases, which were still exclusively used by the Church of Scotland at that late date, and therefore Bonar decided to write songs of his own.Dr. Bonar wrote alot of his hymns for children; but they are so profound and intensely spiritual in their very simplicity they will always satisfy the most mature Christian mind. Bonar is ever pointing in his hymns to Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour, dwelling in simple language on the blessings of the Atonement and the willingness of God to accept all who come to Him through Christ¹.

Thy works, not mine, O Christ,
Speak gladness to this heart;
They tell me all is done;
They bid my fear depart.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy wounds, not mine, O Christ,
Can heal my bruised soul,
Thy stripes not mine, contain
The balm to make me whole.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy cross, not mine, O Christ,
Has borne the awful load
Of sins that none in Heav’n
Or earth could bear but God.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy death, not mine, O Christ,
Has paid the ransom due;
Ten thousand deaths like mine
Would have been all too few.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

Thy righteousness, O Christ,
Alone can cover me:
No righteousness avails
Save that which is of Thee.
To whom, save Thee, who canst alone
For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

¹ccel.org/ccel/ryden/hymnstory/hymnstory.p4.c52.html

“My Worth Is Not in What I Own” s a song that speaks to the subject of worth by reminding us that true significance is found in our identity in Christ. Kristyn and Keith Getty wrote it with their good friend, Graham Kendrick, in an attempt to reclaim two glorious truths. The first is that we, as men and women created in the image and likeness of the Creator, are created with intrinsic worth. The second truth is that given our pervasive rebellion against the King, we are all unworthy of the value with which he crowns us. Yet God sent his Son so our worth might be found in something far grander than ourselves. In Christ, no longer do we look to our own accomplishments and achievements to find significance. We look instead to his perfect work on our behalf, and there our souls find the true sense of identity we so crave. The chorus of the song draws from the rich imagery of 1 Peter, which depicts Jesus as an inheritance and treasure far greater than anything this world has to offer¹. Enjoy!

My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love
At the cross

My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed
At the cross

Refrain:
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure,
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other.
My soul is satisfied in Him alone.

As summer flowers we fade and die
Fame, youth and beauty hurry by
But life eternal calls to us
At the cross

I will not boast in wealth or might
Or human wisdom’s fleeting light
But I will boast in knowing Christ
At the cross

Refrain

Two wonders here that I confess
My worth and my unworthiness
My value fixed – my ransom paid
At the cross

Refrain

¹thegospelcoalition.org/article/my-worth-is-not-in-what-i-own/

Although various sources have attributed this text to a number of different writers, it remains anonymous. “What Wondrous Love” was first published in both Stith Mead’s hymnal for Methodists, A General Selection of the Newest and Most Admired Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1811), and in Starke Dupuy’s hymnal for Baptists, Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1811). This hymn meditates on Christ’s wonderful love (verse 1), which brought about our salvation (verse 2), a love to which we and the “millions” respond with eternal praise (verse 3-4)¹. Enjoy!

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb, who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
while millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing his love for me,
and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on.

¹hymnary.org/text/what_wondrous_love_is_this_o_my_soul_o_m

The words for this hymn was written and the tune was composed both by Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876). It was first published in his 1873 book Sunshine for Sunday Schools. Daniel Webster Whittle in his Memoirs of Philip P. Bliss wrote, “Just before Christmas, 1871, Mrs. Bliss asked a friend, ‘What shall I get my husband for a Christmas present?’ and, at the suggestion of this friend, purchased and presented him with the bound volume of a monthly English periodical called Things New and Old. Many things in these books of interpretation of Scripture and illustrations of Gospel truth were blessed to him, and from the reading of something in one of these books in connection with Romans 8 and Hebrews 10, suggested this glorious Gospel song.”^₁ Of this song, worship leader Zac Hicks writes: “I first heard this lesser-known hymn by Philip Bliss when it was read from the pulpit by the Senior Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, where I serve as Pastor of Worship. I was immediately struck by its clarity of delineating what is called “God’s two words” of Law and Gospel for the believer”. Have a blessed Lord’s Day!

Free from the law, O happy condition,
Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Grace hath redeemed us once for all.

Refrain
Once for all, O sinner, receive it,
Once for all, O friend, now believe it;
Cling to the cross, the burden will fall,
Christ hath redeemed us once for all.

Now we are free, there’s no condemnation,
Jesus provides a perfect salvation;
“Come unto Me,” O hear His sweet call,
Come, and He saves us once for all.

Refrain

“Children of God,” O glorious calling,
Surely His grace will keep us from falling;
Passing from death to life at His call,
Blessed salvation once for all.

Refrain

¹hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/03/quotonce-for-allquot/
²zachicks.com/once-for-all/

Said by some scholars to have been written in 1878, this anonymous text was published in Holy Songs, Carols, and Sacred Ballads compiled by the Roberts brothers in Boston (1880). Austin Lovelace says of this text: “‘He first loved us.’ This simple yet profound thought is the basis for the hymn. God loved us long before we knew it. We seek God, but already God is holding out a hand waiting for us to take hold of it and be rescued from the seas of life”. This slightly altered version is by favourite¹.

I sought the Lord,
And afterward I knew,
He moved my soul
To seek him, seeking me.
It was not I that found,
O Saviour true,
No, I was found of thee.

Thou didst reach forth
Thy hand and mine enfold,
I walked and sank
Not on the storm-vexed sea.
‘Twas not so much
That I on thee took hold
As thou, dear Lord, on me.

I find, I walk, I love,
But, oh, the whole
Of love is but my answer,
Lord, to thee!
For thou wert long
Beforehand with my soul,
Always thou lovedst me.

Alternative Verse
What but such grace
Can woo my heart to love—
To worship thee
And seek my neighboUr’s best?
When in the end
I reach the heav’ns above,
All was of grace
That lifted me to rest.

¹https://hymnary.org/hymn/PsH/498

Today’s hymn is written by Rv William Young Fullerton who was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1857. He was raised Presbyterian, but became a Baptist preacher, administrator, and writer. When a young man he was influenced by the preaching of Charles Spurgeon, who became his friend and mentor. He became pastor of the Melbourne Hall Baptist Church. Thousands of people came to Christ under his ministry. Fullerton served as President of the Baptist Union and Home Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society. He published works, including biographies of John Bunyan, Charles Spurgeon, James William Condell Fegan, and Frederick Brotherton Meyer, as well as compiling several hymnals¹.

I cannot tell why he,
whom angels worship,
should set his love
upon the sons of men,
or why, as Shepherd,
he should seek the wanderers,
to bring them back,
they know not how or when.
But this I know,
that he was born of Mary,
when Bethlehem’s manger
was his only home,
and that he lived
at Nazareth and laboured,
and so the Saviour,
Saviour of the world, is come.

I cannot tell
how silently he suffered,
as with his peace
he graced this place of tears,
or how his heart
upon the cross was broken,
the crown of pain
to three and thirty years.
But this I know,
he heals the broken-hearted,
and stays our sin,
and calms our lurking fear,
and lifts the burden
from the heavy laden,
for yet the Saviour,
Saviour of the world, is here.

I cannot tell
how all the lands shall worship,
when, at his bidding,
every storm is stilled,
or who can say
how great the jubilation
when all the hearts of men
with love are filled.
But this I know,
the skies will thrill with rapture,
and myriad, myriad
human voices sing,
and Earth to Heaven,
and Heaven to Earth, will answer:
Jesus the Saviour,
Saviour of the world, is King!

¹hymnary.org/person/Fullerton_WY

This modern hymn is written by CityAlight, a music ministry from St Paul’s church in Sydney, Australia. They have come to be loved over the years for their vision – to write songs with biblically rich lyrics and simple melodies for Christian churches to sing¹. This song taken from their latest album with the same name is one I’m sure you’ll be singing over and over.

There is one Gospel on which I stand
For all eternity
It is my story, my Father’s plan
The Son has rescued me
Oh what a Gospel, Oh what a peace
My highest joy and my deepest need
Now and forever He is my light
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

There is one Gospel to which I cling
All else I count as loss
For there, where justice and mercy meet
He saved me on the cross
No more I boast in what I can bring
No more I carry the weight of sin
For He has brought me from death to life
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

There is one Gospel where hope is found
The empty tomb still speaks
For death could not keep my Saviour down
He lives and I am free
Now on my Saviour, I fix my eyes
My life is His and His hope is mine!
For He has promised I, too, will rise
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

And in this Gospel the church is one
We do not walk alone
We have His Spirit as we press on
To lead us safely home
And when in glory still I will sing
Of this old story that rescued me
Praise to my Saviour, the King of life
I stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

¹cityalight.com/about/