Scripture Verse

Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Sac­red Songs 1707–09, Book 2, num­ber 38, alt.

Music: Wilt­shire (Smart) George T. Smart, 1795 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
George T. Smart
1776–1867

Lyrics

Happy the heart where grac­es reign,
Where love in­spires the breast;
Love is the bright­est of the train,
And strength­ens all the rest.

Knowledge, alas! ’tis all in vain,
And all in vain our fear;
Our stub­born sins will fight and reign,
If love be ab­sent there.

’Tis love that makes our cheer­ful feet
In swift obe­di­ence move;
The de­vils know and trem­ble, too,
But Satan can­not love.

This is the grace that lives and sings
When faith and hope shall cease;
’Tis this shall strike our joy­ful strings
In sweet­est realms of bliss.

Before we quite for­sake our clay,
Or leave this dark abode,
The wings of love bear us away
To see our smil­ing God.