Scripture Verse

I am with you always. Matthew 28:20

Introduction

Words: Sam­uel C. G. Küs­ter, in the Ge­sang Buch (Ber­lin: 1829), num­ber 549 (O Je­su, Freund der Seel­en). Trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Han­nah K. Bur­ling­ham in the Brit­ish Her­ald, July 1865, page 100.

Music: Friend Un­fail­ing ar­ranged from Lud­wig van Beet­ho­ven (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Küs­ter or Bur­ling­ham (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Lyrics

O Je­sus, friend un­fail­ing,
How dear Thou art to me!
Are cares or fears as­sail­ing?
I find my strength in Thee.
Why should my feet grow wea­ry
Of this my pil­grim way?
Rough tho’ the path and drea­ry,
It ends in per­fect day.

Naught, naught I count as plea­sure,
Compared, O Lord, with Thee;
Thy sor­row, with­out mea­sure,
Earned peace and joy for me.
I love to own, Lord Je­sus,
Thy claims o’er me di­vine;
Bought with Thy blood most pre­cious,
Whose can I be but Thine?

O world­ly pomp and glo­ry,
Your charms are spread in vain!
I’ve heard a sweet­er story,
I’ve found a tru­er gain.
Where Christ a place pre­par­eth,
There is my loved abode;
There shall I gaze on Je­sus:
There shall I dwell with God.

For ev­ery tri­bu­la­tion,
For ev­ery sore dis­tress,
In Christ I’ve full sal­va­tion,
Sure help and quiet rest.
No fear of foes pre­vail­ing!
I tri­umph, Lord, in Thee:
O Je­sus, friend un­fail­ing,
How dear Thou art to me!