Scripture Verse

God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. Acts 10:35

Introduction

portrait
Felice de Giardini
1716–1796
National Portrait Gallerybutton

Words: Sam­u­el Wol­cott, 1869. He wrote these words while min­is­ter at the Ply­mouth Con­gre­ga­tion­al Church in Cleve­land, Ohio:

Music: Ital­i­an Hymn Fe­li­ce de Gi­ar­di­ni, in The Col­lec­tion of Psalm and Hymn Tunes Sung at the Ch­apel of the Lock Hosp­i­tal, 1769 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

portrait
Samuel Wolcott
1813–1886

Origin of the Hymn

The Young Men’s Chris­tian As­so­ci­a­tion of Ohio met in one of our church­es with their mot­to in ev­er­green let­ters over the pulpit: Christ for the World, and the World for Christ. This sug­gested the hymn Christ for the world we sing. It was on my way home from this ser­vice in 1869, walk­ing alone through the streets, that I put to­ge­ther the four stan­zas of the hymn.

Nutter, pp. 333–34

Lyrics

Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring,
With loving zeal,
The poor and them that mourn,
The faint and overborne,
Sin sick and sorrow worn,
Whom Christ doth heal.

Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring,
With fervent prayer;
The wayward and the lost,
By restless passions tossed,
Redeemed at countless cost,
From dark despair.

Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring,
With one accord;
With us the work to share,
With us reproach to dare,
With us the cross to bear,
For Christ our Lord.

Christ for the world we sing,
The world to Christ we bring,
With joyful song;
The newborn souls, whose days,
Reclaimed from error’s ways,
Inspired with hope and praise,
To Christ belong.