Scripture Verse

We would see Jesus. John 12:21

Introduction

Words: John E. Park, in Wor­ship and Song (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: Pil­grim Press, 1913).

Music: Cush­man Her­bert B. Tur­ner, 1905 (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

portrait
John E. Park (1879–1956)

Lyrics

We would see Je­sus; lo! His star is shin­ing
Above the stable while the an­gels sing;
There in a manger on the hay re­clin­ing;
Haste, let us lay our gifts be­fore the King.

We would see Je­sus, Mary’s Son most ho­ly,
Light of the vill­age life from day to day;
Shining re­vealed through ev­ery task most low­ly,
The Christ of God, the life, the truth, the way.

We would see Je­sus, on the mount­ain teach­ing,
With all the list­en­ing peo­ple ga­thered round;
While birds and flow­ers and sky above are preach­ing
The blessed­ness which sim­ple trust has found.

We would see Je­sus, in His work of heal­ing,
At ev­en­tide be­fore the sun was set;
Divine and hu­man, in His deep re­veal­ing
Of God made flesh, in lov­ing ser­vice met.

We would see Je­sus, in the ear­ly morn­ing,
Still as of old He call­eth, Fol­low Me!
Let us arise, all mean­er ser­vice scorn­ing;
Lord, we are Thine, we give our­selves to Thee.