Scripture Verse

What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36

Introduction

Words & Mu­sic: Hal­dor Lil­le­nas, Songs of Full Sal­va­tion (In­di­an­apo­lis, In­di­ana: Lil­le­nas Pub­lish­ing, 1924) (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Haldor Lillenas (1885–1959)

Lyrics

I lost the world with its sin and shame,
When I found Je­sus, O praise His name!
I lost my sor­row, what bless­èd loss!
When I found mer­cy at Cal­v’ry’s cross.

Refrain

I lost the world, and the world lost me,
When I found par­don at Cal­va­ry;
I lost all my sad­ness,
But I found peace and glad­ness,
When I lost the world,
And the world lost me.

I lost my love for its gild­ed toys,
I found the rich­es of end­less joys;
I lost a heart just as hard as stone,
I found a bless­ing be­fore unknown.

Refrain

I lost a bur­den of guilt and sin,
I found a rest, per­fect rest with­in,
I lost my blind­ness, and now I see,
Light dawned upon me at Cal­va­ry.

Refrain

I lost the fet­ters that held me fast,
I found a free­dom from sin at last;
I lost the world, and the world lost me,
Thanks be to Je­sus my song shall be.

Refrain