Scripture Verse

If the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it. Matthew 10:13

Introduction

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns and Sac­red Po­ems (Bris­tol, Eng­land: Fe­lix Far­ley, 1749), Vol­ume 1, num­ber 147, pag­es 249–50.

Music: Mal­ta Sab­bath Hymn and Tune Book, ed­it­ed by Lo­well Ma­son, Ed­wards A. Park & Aus­tin Phelps (New York: Ma­son Bro­thers, 1859), page 172 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

  • Bellenden Songs for So­cial and Pub­lic Wor­ship, ed­it­ed by Eli­as Na­son (Bos­ton Mas­sa­chu­setts: Hen­ry Hoyt, 1863), page 250 (🔊 pdf nwc)
portrait
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Lyrics

Peace be to this ha­bi­ta­tion!
Peace to every soul here­in!
Peace, the foretaste of sal­va­tion,
Peace, the seal of canceled sin,
Peace, that speaks its hea­ven­ly Giv­er,
Peace to earthly minds un­known,
Peace divine, that lasts for­ev­er,
Here erect its glo­ri­ous throne!

On the son of peace des­cend­ing,
On the daughters of Thy grace,
Big with comforts ne­ver end­ing,
Let the promise now take place:
Each receive the gracious show­er,
Each the Gos­pel blessing prove,
Witness of Thy pardoning pow­er,
Witness of Thy perfect love.

Now Thy love-infusing Spi­rit
Shed in every heart abroad,
Rise, thro’ Thy imputed mer­it,
Every child a child of God!
Each receive the con­stant wit­ness,
Each obtain the joy­ous rest,
Taste in Thee ce­les­ti­al sweet­ness,
God residing in their breast.

Claim for Thine each faith­ful ser­vant,
By the re­con­cil­ing Word,
Pure in heart, in spir­it fer­vent,
Let them serve their heav’n­ly Lord,
For Thy par­don­ing love adore Thee,
Walk in sin­less li­ber­ty,
Brethren to the King of Glo­ry,
Friends of God, and heirs with Thee!

Visit, Lord, with Thy sal­va­tion
Every pro­vi­den­tial guest,
Every friend, and kind re­la­tion
Take into Thy peo­ple’s rest:
Conscious of Thy sacr­ed pre­sence,
Let them feel the lov­ing fear,
Cry with bliss­ful ac­qui­es­cence,
God, the par­don­ing God, is here!

Prince of Peace, if Thou art near us,
Fix in all our hearts Thy home,
By Thy last ap­pear­ing cheer us,
Quickly let Thy king­dom come:
Answer all our ex­pec­ta­tion,
Give our rap­tured souls to prove
Glorious, ut­ter­most sal­va­tion,
Heavenly, ev­er­last­ing love!