Scripture Verse

Put your finger here and look at My hands! Put your hand into My side. Stop doubting and have faith! John 20:27

Introduction

Words: Sa­la­thi­el C. Kirk, in Choice Hymns No. 1, ed­it­ed by J. Wil­bur Chap­man & Win­field S. Weed­en (New York & Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Hall-Mack, 1902), num­ber 45.

Music: Ma­ri­na del Rey Emi­ly D. Wil­son, 1902 (🔊 pdf nwc). Some hym­nals show the com­pos­er as Mrs. J. G. Wilson (Emily’s hus­band was John G. Wi­lson).

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Wil­son (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Salathiel C. Kirk
(1845–1913)

Lyrics

So strange it seemed and won­drous,
When first it came to me,
The story of King Je­sus,
I asked Can such things be?
I felt my heart re­ply­ing,
O if I on­ly knew!
The cross, the thorns, the dy­ing!
Oh is it, is it true?

Refrain

I love to hear it spok­en,
I love to read it through;
But O for word or tok­en
To tell me it is true!

And when I heard the sto­ry
Told o’er and o’er again,
How Je­sus, now in glo­ry,
Was walk­ing still with men,
Was fill­ing hearts with glad­ness,
And scat­ter­ing sun­shine through;
My own heart longed in sad­ness
To know if it were true.

Refrain

Then soft­ly was it spok­en,
Come, lean up­on My breast,
Ye wea­ry ones, heart­brok­en,
And I will give you rest.

My heart, so sad and lone­ly,
A lit­tle clos­er drew;
I cried, O Lord, if on­ly
I felt and knew it true!

Last Refrain

My Sav­ior, O my Sav­ior!
The old, old sto­ry’s new!
My strength, my joy for­ev­er,
I know, I know it’s true.