Scripture Verse

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psalm 32:1

Introduction

Words: Charles Wes­ley (1707–1788), alt.

Music: Com­plete in Thee Tal­mage J. Bi­tt­iko­fer, 1921 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

portrait
Charles Wesley (1707–1788)

Lyrics

Blest is the man, su­preme­ly blest,
Whose wickedness is all for­giv’n,
Who finds in Je­su’s wounds his rest,
And sees the smiling face of Heav’n.
The guilt and power of sin is gone
From him that doth in Christ be­lieve,
It hidden lies, and still kept down,
And buried in his Sav­ior’s grave.

Blest is the man, to whom his Lord
No more imputes ini­qui­ty,
Whose Spi­rit is by grace re­stored,
From all the guile of Sa­tan free;
Free from design, or self­ish aim,
Harmless, and pure, and un­de­filed,
A simple follower of the Lamb,
And harmless as a new-born child.

But while thro’ pride I held my tongue,
Nor owned my help­less un­belief,
My bones were wast­ed all day long,
My strength con­sumed with pin­ing grief.
Crushed by Thine an­ger’s hea­vy hand,
Burnt up as dry and bar­ren ground,
I ever of my sin com­plained,
But no relief or mer­cy found.

Resolved at last, to God I cried,
My sins I will at large con­fess,
My shame I will no long­er hide,
My depth of des­per­ate wick­ed­ness.
All will I own un­to my Lord,
Without re­serve or cloak­ing art,
I said; and felt the par­don­ing word,
Thy mercy spoke it to my heart.

For this shall every child of God
Thy pow’r and faith­ful love de­clare,
And claim the grace on all be­stowed,
Who make to Thee their time­ly pray­er;
But when the floods of judg­ment rise,
And sweep their guil­ty souls away,
Remains for sin no sac­ri­fice;
For ended is their gra­cious day.

Thou art my hiding place; in Thee
I rest secure from sin and hell,
Safe in the love that ran­somed me,
And sheltered in Thy wounds I dwell.
Still shall Thy grace to me abound,
The countless won­ders of Thy grace
I still shall tell to all around,
And sing my great De­liv­er­er’s praise.

I will instruct the child­like heart,
(My Teacher saith for ev­er nigh).
“Nor let thee from My paths de­part,
But guide thee with My gra­cious eye.
If thou My gra­cious look obey,
And yield My per­fect will to prove,
Nor cast My easy yoke away,
Or stop thine ears against My love.

Whoe’er like horse or mule with­stand,
And follow their own stiff necked will,
I bruise beneath My weigh­ty hand,
And force them all My plagues to feel.
But they that dare in Me con­fide,
Shall only know My par­don­ing grace,
My mercy’s arms on ev­ery side
Shall every faithful soul em­brace.

Ye faithful souls, re­joice in Him,
Whose arms are still your sure de­fense;
Your Lord is migh­ty to re­deem:
Believe, and who shall pluck you thence?
All ye of upright heart, be glad,
For Je­sus is your God and friend,
He keeps those who on Him are stayed,
And He shall keep them to the end.