Scripture Verse

I will lift up my hands in Thy name. Psalm 63:4

Introduction

Words: H. L. Ham­mond, in Sun­shine for Sun­day Schools, by Phi­lip P. Bliss (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio & Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: John Church & George F. Root and Sons, 1873).

Music: Phi­lip P. Bliss (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Ham­mond’s full name, or where to get a good pho­to of him (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Philip Bliss (1838–1876)

As we neared the steam­er in our lit­tle boat, the storm raged fear­ful­ly. The waves ran so high we could not ap­proach di­rect­ly, but were or­dered to the lee, and ev­en then we were in im­mi­nent per­il.

The cap­tain threw him­self flat on the deck and reached down his hands for me. But I was fright­ened and weak, my fin­gers were be­numbed, and I dared not give him my hands.

He called out to me in a loud, stern voice, Up with your hands, wo­man, or I can not save you! I obey­ed, and he im­me­di­ate­ly drew me up­on the deck. So I say to thee, poor sin­ner, Up with thy hands to Je­sus, or he can not save thee.

Miss Sar­ah Smil­ey, quoted in Sun­shine for Sun­day Schools, 1873, p. 93

Lyrics

Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
Oh, guil­ty tem­pest-tossed;
Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
Or, sin­ner, thou art lost.
The waves are wild­ly dash­ing,
Thy boat is light and frail,
The light­nings sharp are flash­ing,
And fierce­ly sweeps the gale.

Refrain

Then up with thy hands to Je­sus,
Oh guil­ty tem­pest-tossed,
Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
Or, sin­ner, thou art lost.

Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
He walks up­on the sea;
Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
He stoop­eth now for thee.
Say not thy hands are fee­ble,
Thy fin­gers can not cling;
His migh­ty grasp shall hold thee,
And sure sal­va­tion bring.

Refrain

Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
He hears thy pi­te­ous cry;
Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
No oth­er help is nigh.
Even now thy bark is sink­ing,
The bil­lows o’er thee roll,
Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
Oh, sin­ner, save thy soul.

Refrain

Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
He rul­eth wind and wave;
Up with thy hands to Je­sus,
His love now yearns to save.
Oh, if thou wilt but trust Him,
His help He’ll quick­ly give;
Haste, then, no long­er doubt­ing,
Up with thy hands, and live.

Refrain