Scripture Verse

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me. Matthew 25:40

Introduction

Words: Will­iam Hamp­son, in Psalms and Hymns for Uni­ta­ri­an Wor­ship, by Ro­bert Asp­land, 1810. Some hym­nals omit stan­zas 1–3.

Music: Dib­din, from the Stand­ard Psalm Tune-Book, 1852. At­trib­ut­ed there­in to Dr. Jack­son (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

If you know Jack­son’s full name, or where to get a good pic­ture of him or Hamp­son,

Lyrics

Daughters of pi­ty, tune the lay;
To mourn­ers joy be­longs;
While He that wipes all tears away
Accepts our thank­ful songs.

No al­tars smoke, no of­fer­ings bleed,
No guilt­less lives ex­pire;
To help a bro­ther in his need
Is all our rites re­quire.

Our of­fer­ing is a will­ing mind
To com­fort the dis­tressed;
In oth­ers’ good our own to find,
In oth­ers’ bless­ing blest.

Go to the pil­low of dis­ease,
Where night gives no re­pose,
And on the cheek where sick­ness preys,
Bid health to plant a rose.

Go where the friend­less stran­ger lies;
To per­ish is his doom:
Snatch from the grave his clos­ing eyes,
And bring his bless­ing home.

Thus, what our heav’n­ly Fa­ther gave,
Shall we as free­ly give;
Thus co­py Him who lived to save,
And died that we might live.