Scripture Verse

If any man enter in, he shall be saved. John 10:9

Introduction

portrait
Fanny Crosby (1820–1915)

Words: Fan­ny Cros­by, in Bright­est and Best, by Ro­bert Low­ry & How­ard Doane (New York & Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: Big­low & Main, 1875), pag­es 124–25.

Music: W. How­ard Doane (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
W. Howard Doane (1832–1915)

Lyrics

I have longed for the bliss of par­don,
And sighed to be cleansed from sin;
And I know if I come be­liev­ing,
My Sav­ior will let me in;
For the door of His love is op­en,
He wait­eth for those who seek;
But I trem­ble with fear and doubt­ing;
O, why is my faith so weak?

Refrain

O pre­cious Sav­ior!
I know I have slight­ed Thy mer­cy;
It comes, it comes,
It comes to me more and more;
But soft­ly Thy Spi­rit whis­pers to me,
There’s life at the op­en door.

I have clung to the hopes that per­ish,
And now, in my hour of need,
How they die in my heart, and leave me
As frail as a brok­en reed;
I have hard­ly the strength or cour­age,
But O I will try once more;
There is life if my faith can reach it,
There’s life at the op­en door.

Refrain

I will trust though I walk in dark­ness,
And pray till the light I see;
For the blood that has cleansed the vil­est,
Will sure­ly avail for me;
I have on­ly this plea to of­fer,
That Je­sus for me has died;
And with on­ly my heart to give Him,
I haste to His bleed­ing side.

Refrain

I have longed for the bliss of par­don,
And sighed to be cleansed from sin;
And I knock at the door, be­liev­ing
That Je­sus will let me in;
O the faith in my soul grows strong­er,
I trem­ble with fear no more;
’Tis my Sav­ior that bids me wel­come;
I en­ter the op­en door.

Refrain