Scripture Verse

His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. John 9:2–3

Introduction

portrait
Susan Peterson
(1950–2004)

Words: Su­san H. Pe­ter­son, 1999 (pub­lic do­main).

Music: My An­chor Holds Da­ni­el B. Tow­ner, 1902 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Daniel Towner (1850–1919)

Lyrics

Christ a blind man saw one day,
As He went along his way.
His dis­ci­ples asked, Who sinned,
That he blind from birth has been?

Jesus said, Sin’s not to blame,
But God’s work will now be plain.

Then He spit up­on the ground,
Made some mud, and put it on.
Go and wash, He then did say,
And the blind man did ob­ey.
He was blind no more;
He now could see.

All the peo­ple were con­fused
When they heard about the news.
They said, Blind you’ve been for life.
How then did you gain your sight?

He said, Je­sus—it was He.
He made mud, I washed, now see.

Then the Pha­ri­sees comp­lained,
Though the mi­ra­cle was plain.
This man’s not from God, they claimed,
For the Sab­bath He’s pro­faned.

They were blind from sin;
They could not see.

The man’s par­ents then were called
And were asked to re­count all.
They con­fessed he was their son,
But knew not what Christ had done.
They said, Ask him; let him tell.
He’s of age and can speak well.

So they sum­moned him once more.
Said, This Man’s a sin­ner sure.
He said, Whe­ther He has blame,
I know not, but this is plain:
Though I once was blind,
I now can see!

Still the Pha­ri­sees did rail,
Asked him to re­peat his tale.
Said, His foll’w­er you’ve be­come,
Though we don’t know where He’s from.

He re­plied, If not from God,
This man could not do such good.

Then they drove him from that place.
Jesus found him in dis­grace.
Said, The Son of Man now speaks;
You have seen Him; now be­lieve.

He said, I be­lieve;
Lord, I be­lieve!

Jesus came to judge the earth
And show sin for what it’s worth.
As He gave the blind man sight,
He can cleanse us by His might.
But we must ad­mit we’re blind,
Or His heal­ing we’ll not find.
If we claim that we can see,
We will ev­er guil­ty be.
But when we in Him be­lieve,
He will then our guilt re­lieve.
We’ll be blind no more
When we be­lieve.