Scripture Verse

I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Matthew 10:16

Introduction

portrait
Scott Werdebaugh
1951–

Words: Charles Wes­ley, Hymns for Times of Trou­ble and Per­se­cu­tion, se­cond ed­i­tion, en­larged (Lon­don: Stra­han, 1744), pag­es 26–28, alt.

Music: In­dia Ba­sin Scott Wer­de­baugh, 1975 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Charles Wesley
1707–1788

Lyrics

See, Lord, the purchase of Thy death,
Thy little feeble flock,
Gather, and keep our souls beneath
The shadow of their Rock.
Thy few returning sheep behold,
By wolves encompassed round,
And let us never leave the fold,
But still in Thee be found.

Regard the number of our foes,
Their subtlety and might,
Arise, and stop the way of those
Who ’gainst Thy people fight.
O help of every helpless soul,
Show forth Thy saving grace,
The fierceness of vain man control,
Or turn it to Thy praise.

Thou know’st for Thy dear sake alone
We daily suffer shame,
Because we dare our Master own,
And triumph in Thy name.
Thee, Lord, before Thy foes we dare
In word and deed confess,
Rejoice Thy hallowed cross to bear,
And live Thy witnesses.

Witnesses of th’atoning blood
Which did for sinners flow,
And brought a guilty world to God,
And sprinkled all below.
That blood we felt through faith applied,
And know our sins forgiven,
And tell mankind the purple tide
Would waft them all to Heaven.

For this we reckon all things loss,
Till Christ the Judge comes down,
To honor followers of His cross,
And bid them wear His crown.
He tells us He will quickly come,
His saying we receive,
And we shall all be taken home,
And in His kingdom live.

Us, who before the sons of men,
Were bold our Lord to own,
He will, He will acknowledge them
Before His Father’s throne.
He (while the glorious angels stand,
Astonished at the grace)
Shall place us all at His right hand,
And speak His servants’ praise.

These (if our hearts may now conceive
What God in Heaven shall say)
These were the souls who dared believe,
Who dared My Word obey.
Me for their dear redeeming Lord
They never blushed to own,
But held My name, and kept My Word,
And lived to Me alone.

A proverb of reproach below,
They suffered for My sake,
Rejoiced My daily cross to know,
My portion to partake.
On earth they lived My witnesses,
My witnesses they died,
And now I for My own confess
And speak them glorified.

Come then to Heaven, your native home,
Be numbered with the blest,
My Father’s happy children, come,
And on My bosom rest.
The kingdom take for all prepared
That should in Me abide;
Now, I am now, thy great reward
Who in My faith hast died.

My good and faithful servant thee
I openly approve,
Possess thy lot, enthroned with Me
In all the pomp of love.
The mead of all thy labors this,
This starry diadem wear,
Enter into thy Master’s bliss,
And reign for ever there.