Scripture Verse

Woman, behold thy son!…Behold thy mother! John 19:26–27

Introduction

portrait
Bentley D. Ackley
1872–1958

Words: Liz­zie De­Ar­mond, 1912.

Click here for a real life sto­ry of this song. Warn­ing: Have tis­sues rea­dy!

Music: Bent­ley D. Ack­ley (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a bet­ter pho­to of DeArmond,

portrait
Lizzie DeArmond
1847–1936

Background

Mrs. De­Armond as­sumes cor­rect­ly that mo­thers have more to do in de­term­in­ing the des­ti­ny of their child­ren than any oth­er hu­man agen­cy. This song has no thought of the weak sen­ti­men­tal­i­ty and in­dul­gence oft­en mis­tak­en for love, but ra­ther fear­less Chris­tian dis­ci­pline, stu­rdy, strong, rig­id as steel, wo­ven with the en­dur­ing fi­bers of eter­ni­ty. This un­der­stand­ing has made Mrs. De­Ar­mond’s po­em an ef­fec­tu­al mes­sage for right­eous­ness.

Sanville, p. 64

Lyrics

I grieved my Lord from day to day,
I scorned His love so full and free,
And though I wandered far away,
My mother’s prayers have followed me.

Refrain

I’m coming home, I’m coming home,
To live my wasted life anew,
For mother’s prayers have followed me,
Have followed me, the whole world thro’.

O’er desert wild, o’er mountain high
A wanderer I chose to be,
A wretched soul condemned to die,
Still mother’s prayers have followed me.

Refrain

He turned my darkness into light,
This blessèd Christ of Calvary,
I’ll praise His name both day and night,
That mother’s prayers have followed me.

Refrain