Scripture Verse

God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. Acts 10:35

Introduction

portrait
Felice de Giardini
(1716–1796)
National Portrait Gallerybutton

Words: Sam­uel Wol­cott, 1869. He wrote these words while min­is­ter at the Ply­mouth Con­gre­ga­tion­al Church in Cleve­land, Ohio:

Music: Ita­li­an Hymn Fe­li­ce de Gi­ar­di­ni, in The Col­lect­ion of Psalm and Hymn Tunes Sung at the Cha­pel of the Lock Hos­pi­tal, 1769 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
Samuel Wolcott (1813–1886)

Origin of the Hymn

The Young Men’s Chris­tian As­so­cia­tion of Ohio met in one of our church­es with their mot­to in ev­er­green let­ters over the pulpit: Christ for the World, and the World for Christ. This sug­gested the hymn Christ for the world we sing. It was on my way home from this ser­vice in 1869, walk­ing alone through the streets, that I put to­ge­ther the four stan­zas of the hymn.

Nutter, pp. 333–34

Lyrics

Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring,
With lov­ing zeal,
The poor and them that mourn,
The faint and ov­er­borne,
Sin sick and sor­row worn,
Whom Christ doth heal.

Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring,
With fer­vent pray­er;
The way­ward and the lost,
By rest­less pass­ions tossed,
Redeemed at count­less cost,
From dark des­pair.

Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring,
With one ac­cord;
With us the work to share,
With us re­proach to dare,
With us the cross to bear,
For Christ our Lord.

Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring,
With joy­ful song;
The new­born souls, whose days,
Reclaimed from er­ror’s ways,
Inspired with hope and praise,
To Christ be­long.