Lord, When Through Sin I Wander

Words: Charles E. Smith, in the Book of Praise for Children, by Garrett Horder, 1875.

Music: Lux Mundi (Sullivan) Arthur S. Sullivan, 1872 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

Jesu, Magister Bone John B. Dykes, 1875 (🔊 pdf nwc)
Trapani Samuel Smith, in The School Hymnal, edited by Louis F. Benson (Philadelphia Pennsylvania: Presbyterian Board of Publication & Sabbath School Work, 1899), number 189 (🔊 pdf nwc)

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

portrait — Arthur S. Sullivan (1842–1900)

Lord! when through sin I wander
So very far from Thee,
I think in some far country
Thy sinless home must be;
But when with earnest sorrow
I pray Thee to forgive,
Thy pardon is so perfect,
That in Thy Heav’n I live.

That Heav’n, Lord, so surrounds me
That when I do the right,
The saddest path of duty
Is lightened by its light;
I know not what its glories
Before Thy throne must be,
But here Thy smiling presence
Is heav’n on earth to me.

To love the right and do it,
Is to my heart so sweet,
It makes the path of duty
A shining, golden street
Within Thy heav’nly kingdom:
Lord, let me never stray,
Then Heav’n, within, about me,
Shall compass all my way.

Scripture Verse

Introduction

Lyrics