Scripture Verse

Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Psalm 63:3

Introduction

Words: George B. Chee­ver, Chris­tian Me­lo­dies 1851.

Music: Lov­ing-Kind­ness, folk hymn (🔊 pdf nwc). Pub­lished in The Chris­tian Lyre, Vol­ume 1, by Jo­shua Lea­vitt, 1831. Ka­ther­ine Diehl at­trib­ut­ed it to Will­iam Cald­well, be­fore 1830. It was sub­se­quent­ly pub­lished in Cald­well’s Un­ion Har­mo­ny, 1837.

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

portrait
George B. Cheever
1807–1890

Lyrics

Thy loving-kindness, Lord, I sing,
Of grace and life the sacred spring—
In blood o’erflowing, rich and free,
In loving-kindness shed for me.

Refrain

Loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness, oh, how free!

I to Thy mercy seat repair,
And find Thy loving-kindness there;
And when to Thy sweet Word I go,
Thy loving-kindness there I know.

Refrain

Each evening from the world apart,
Thy loving-kindness cheers my heart;
And when the day salutes my eyes,
Thy loving-kindness doth arise.

Refrain

Lord, from the moment of my birth,
I’ve nothing known but love on earth;
By day, by night, where’er I be,
Thy loving-kindness follows me.

Refrain

From daily sin and daily woe,
Thy loving-kindness saves me now;
And I will praise, for sins forgiven,
Thy loving-kindness, all, in Hea­ven.

Refrain