What tho’ clouds are ho­ver­ing o’er me,
And I seem to walk alone—
Longing ’mid my cares and cross­es,
For the joys that now are flown—
If I’ve Je­sus, Je­sus on­ly,
Then my sky will have a gem;
He’s a sun of bright­est splen­dor,
And the star of Beth­le­hem.

What tho’ all my earth­ly jour­ney
Bringeth naught but wea­ry hours,
And, in grasp­ing for life’s ros­es,
Thorns I find in­stead of flow­ers—
If I’ve Je­sus, Je­sus on­ly,
I pos­sess a clus­ter rare;
He’s the li­ly of the val­ley,
And the rose of Sha­ron fair.

What tho’ all my heart is yearn­ing
For the loved of long ago—
Bitter les­sons, sad­ly learn­ing
From the sha­dowy page of woe—
If I’ve Je­sus, Je­sus on­ly,
He’ll be with me to the end;
And, un­seen by mor­tal vi­sion,
Angel bands will o’er me bend.

When I soar to realms of glo­ry
And an en­trance I await,
If I whis­per, Je­sus on­ly!
Wide will ope the pear­ly gate;
When I join the hea­ven­ly chor­us,
And the an­gel hosts I see,
Precious Je­sus, Je­sus only,
Will my theme of rap­ture be.