Legion was my name, by na­ture
Satan raged with­in my breast;
Never mi­se­ry was great­er,
Never sin­ner more pos­sessed:
Mischievous to all around me,
To my­self the great­est foe;
Thus I was when Je­sus found me,
Filled with mad­ness, sin, and woe.

Yet in this for­lorn con­di­tion
When He came to set me free;
I rep­lied to my phy­si­cian,
What have I to do with Thee?
But He would not be pre­vent­ed,
Rescued me against my will;
Had He stayed ’till I con­sent­ed,
I had been a cap­tive still.

Satan, though thou fain would’st have it,
Know this soul is none of thine;
I have shed My blood to save it,
Now I chal­lenge it for Mine;
Though it long has thee re­sem­bled,
Henceforth it shall Me obey;
Thus He spoke, while Sa­tan trem­bled,
Gnashed his teeth, and fled away.

Thus my fran­tic soul He heal­èd,
Bid my sins and sor­rows cease;
Take, said He, My par­don seal­èd,
I have saved thee, go in peace;
Rather take me, Lord, to Hea­ven,
Now Thy love and grace I know;
Since Thou hast my sins for­giv­en,
Why should I re­main below?

Love, He said, will sweet­en la­bors,
Thou hast some­thing yet to do:
Go and tell your friends and neigh­bors,
What My love has done for you:
Live to ma­ni­fest My glo­ry,
Wait for Heav’n a lit­tle space;
Sinners, when they hear thy sto­ry,
Will rep­ent and seek My face.