Scripture Verse

There are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 1 John 5:8

Introduction

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Isaac Watts
1674–1748

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spi­ri­tu­al Songs 1707–09, Book 3, num­ber 9, alt. The Spi­rit, the wa­ter, and the blood.

Music: Fox Tho­mas Com­muck. Har­mo­ny by Tho­mas Hast­ings in In­di­an Me­lo­dies (New York: G. Lane & C. B. Tip­pett, 1845) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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Thomas Hastings
1784–1872

Lyrics

Let all our tongues be one
To praise our God on high,
Who from His bosom sent His Son
To fetch us strangers nigh.

Nor let our voices cease
To sing the Savior’s name;
Jesus, th’Ambassador of peace,
How cheerfully He came.

It cost Him cries and tears
To bring us near to God;
Great was our debt, and He appears
To make the payment good.

My Savior’s piercèd side
Poured out a double flood;
By water we are purified,
And pardoned by the blood.

How infinite our guilt,
But He, our priest, atones;
On hard, cold ground His life was spilt,
And offered with His groans.

Look up, my soul, to Him
Whose death was thy desert,
And humbly view the living stream
Flow from His breaking heart.

There, on the cursèd tree,
In dying pangs He lies,
Fulfills His Father’s great decree,
And all our wants supplies.

Thus the Redeemer came
By water and by blood;
And when the Spirit speaks the same,
We feel His witness good.

While the eternal Three
Bear record up above,
Here I believe He died for me,
And seal my Savior’s love.

Lord, cleanse my soul from sin
Nor let Thy grace depart;
Great Comforter, abide within,
And witness to my heart.