Scripture Verse

I am meek and lowly in heart. Matthew 11:29

Introduction

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George R. Prynne (1818–1903)

Words: George R. Prynne, 1856, alt. First pub­lished in his Hym­nal Suit­ed for the Ser­vic­es of the Church.

Music: St. Con­stan­tine Will­iam H. Monk, 1861 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

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William Monk (1823–1889)

This li­ttle hymn has found its way in­to most Eng­lish Hymn-books. It is com­mon­ly thought to have been writ­ten for child­ren, and on this sup­po­si­tion I have been asked to simp­li­fy the fourth verse. The hymn was not, how­ev­er, wri­tten spe­ci­fi­cal­ly for child­ren. Where it is used in col­lect­ions of hymns for child­ren, it might be well to al­ter the last two lines in the fourth verse thus:

Through earth’s pass­ing dark­ness,
To heav­en’s end­less day.

George Prynne

Lyrics

Jesus, meek and gen­tle,
Son of God most high,
Gracious, lov­ing Sav­ior,
Hear Thy child­ren’s cry.

Pardon our of­fens­es,
Loose our cap­tive chains,
Break down ev­ery id­ol
Which our soul de­tains.

Give us ho­ly free­dom,
Fill our hearts with love;
Draw us, ho­ly Je­sus,
To the realms above.

Lead us on our jour­ney,
Be Thy­self the way
Through our earth­ly dark­ness
To the heav­en­ly day.

Jesus, meek and gen­tle,
Son of God most high,
Gracious, lov­ing Sav­ior,
Hear Thy child­ren’s cry.
Hear Thy child­ren’s cry.