Scripture Verse

If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? Matthew 18:12

Introduction

Words: Ma­ry B. Win­gate, 1899.

Music: Will­iam J. Kirk­pat­rick (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Mary B. Wingate (1845–1933)

Lyrics

Dear to the heart of the Shep­herd,
Dear are the sheep of His fold;
Dear is the love that He gives them,
Dearer than sil­ver or gold.
Dear to the heart of the Shep­herd,
Dear are His oth­er lost sheep;
Over the mount­ains He fol­lows,
Over the wa­ters so deep.

Refrain

Out in the de­sert they wan­der,
Hungry and help­less and cold;
Off to the res­cue He hast­ens,
Bringing them back to the fold.

Dear to the heart of the Shep­herd,
Dear are the lambs of His fold;
Some from the pas­tures are stray­ing,
Hungry and help­less and cold.
See, the good Shep­herd is seek­ing,
Seeking the lambs that are lost;
Bringing them in with re­joic­ing,
Saved at such in­fi­nite cost.

Refrain

Dear to the heart of the Shep­herd,
Dear are the nine­ty and nine;
Dear are the sheep that have wan­dered,
Out in the de­sert to pine.
Hark! He is ear­nest­ly call­ing,
Tenderly plead­ing to­day;
Will you not seek for My lost ones,
Off from My shel­ter as­tray?

Refrain

Green are the pas­tures in­vit­ing,
Sweet are the wa­ters and still;
Lord, we will answer Thee glad­ly,
Yes, bless­èd Mas­ter, we will!
Make us Thy true under-shep­herds,
Give us a love that is deep;
Send us out in­to the de­sert,
Seeking Thy wan­der­ing sheep.

Refrain

illustration
Christ the Shepherd
Bernhard Plockhorst (1825–1907)
Wikimedia Commons