Scripture Verse

Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32

Introduction

Words: G. M. Bills, in The Gos­pel Hym­nal, by Ed­win O. Ex­cell (Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio: Ea­ton & Mains, 1899), num­ber 138.

Music: Mat­thew L. Mc­Phail (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know Bills’ full name, or where to get a good pho­to of him (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Matthew L. McPhail
(1854–1931)

Lyrics

At the mer­cy seat I lin­ger,
Where I see the crim­son seal,
Of the Love that bowed and suf­fered,
Death and dark­ness to re­peal;
There my res­cued soul is kneel­ing,
Lost in won­der at the grace,
That re­moves the curse eter­nal,
From a lost and ru­ined race.

Refrain

At the mer­cy seat I lin­ger,
Lo! the sprin­kled blood I see,
Hallelujah, I am ran­somed!
Hallelujah, I am free!

Here the ho­ly bread is brok­en,
To sus­tain my faint­ing heart,
Here the gra­cious word is spok­en
That will make my grief de­part;
Lo! thy sins are all for­giv­en,
Go in peace and sin no more!

Satan’s cru­el chain is riv­en,
And my slav­ery is o’er.

Refrain

Here I drink the cup of heal­ing
That will soothe my trou­bled breast,
Filled with faith and hope ce­les­ti­al,
Now I enter in­to rest;
From the Spir­it’s ho­ly al­tar,
To my lips will leap the flame,
That in­spires the con­stant spread­ing
Of my great Re­deem­er’s fame.

Refrain