Scripture Verse

Both riches and honor come of Thee, and Thou reignest over all; and in Thine hand is power and might; and in Thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 1 Chronicles 29:12

Introduction

portrait
J. Lincoln Hall (1866–1930)

Words: Frank H. Ma­shaw, in Gos­pel Prais­es, ed­it­ed by Will­iam J. Kirk­pat­rick, Lin­coln Hall & Hen­ry L. Gil­mour (Phi­la­del­phia, Penn­syl­van­ia: Hall-Mack, 1899), page 47. Com­pare I Was Poorer Than All.

Music: J. Lin­coln Hall (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

I was poor as the poor­est out­cast from the fold,
I sank by the way­side with hun­ger and cold;
But He bade me look up,
All His rich­es be­hold;
O the wealth of the world is Je­sus.

Refrain

I was poor as the poor­est out­cast from the fold,
But He gave me great trea­sures of sil­ver and gold,
And a man­sion above that will ne­ver grow old,
For the wealth of the world is Je­sus.

I was poor as the poor­est, I shrank from the throng,
I hid in the dark­ness that dwelt with me long;
But He came like the morn­ing
With sun­light and song,
Now the light of my life is Je­sus.

Refrain

I was poor as the poor­est, I wan­dered alone,
No dwell­ing I had, and my pil­low a stone;
But I heard some­one whis­per,
My child, still My own;
Now the peace of my heart is Je­sus.

Refrain

I was poor as the poor­est; He came from the sky
With love that was death­less for sin­ners to die;
And He bled on the cross,
And my heart said, ’Tis I;
Now the love in my soul is Je­sus.

Refrain

I was poor as the poor­est till Je­sus stooped low
And washed all my sins of the white­ness of snow;
And so that is the rea­son
I love Him, you know;
O the wealth of the world is Je­sus.

Refrain