Scripture Verse

I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Philippians 2:16

Introduction

Words: Re­gi­nald He­ber (1783–1826). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Writ­ten and Adapt­ed to the Week­ly Church Ser­vice of the Year (Lon­don: J. Mur­ray, 1827), pag­es 62–63.

Music: York­shire John Wain­right, 1750 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

portrait
Reginald Heber (1783–1826)

Lyrics

Oh more than mer­ci­ful! whose boun­ty gave
Thy guilt­less self to glut the greedy grave!
Whose heart was rent to pay Thy peo­ple’s price;
The great high priest at once and sac­ri­fice!
Help, Sav­ior, by Thy cross and crim­son stain,
Nor let Thy glo­ri­ous blood be spilt in vain!

When sin with flow­ery gar­land hides her dart,
When ty­rant force would daunt the sink­ing heart,
When flesh­ly lust as­sails, or world­ly care,
Or the soul flut­ters in the fowl­er’s snare—
Help, Sav­ior, by Thy cross and crim­son stain,
Nor let Thy glo­ri­ous blood be spilt in vain!

And, chief­est then, when na­ture yields the strife,
And mor­tal dark­ness wraps the gate of life;
When the poor spir­it, from the tomb set free,
Sinks at Thy feet and lifts its hope to Thee—
Help, Sav­ior, by Thy cross and crim­son stain,
Nor let Thy glo­ri­ous blood be spilt in vain!

illustration
Christ on the Cross
Jacques-Louis David (1748–1825)