Scripture Verse

God our Savior…will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3–4

Introduction

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns on God’s Ev­er­last­ing Love 1741.

Music: Leo­min­ster George W. Mar­tin, 1862 (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Mar­tin (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els), would you ?

portrait
Charles Wesley
1707–1788

Lyrics

Ah! whither should I go,
Burdened and sick and faint?
To whom should I my trouble show,
And pour out my complaint?
My Savior bids me come;
Ah! why do I delay?
He calls the weary sinner home,
And yet from Him I stay.

What is it keeps me back,
From which I cannot part,
Which will not let the Savior take
Possession of my heart?
Searcher of hearts, in mine
Thy trying power display;
Into its darkest corners shine,
And take the veil away.

I now believe in Thee,
Compassion reigns alone;
According to my faith, to me
O let it, Lord, be done!
In me is all the bar,
Which Thou wouldst fain remove;
Remove it, and I shall declare
That God is only love.

The following verses are commonly omitted:

Some cursèd thing unknown
Must surely lurk within,
Some idol which I will not own,
Some secret bosom sin.

Jesu, the hindrance show,
Which I have feared to see;
Yet let me now consent to know
What keeps me out of Thee.