Scripture Verse

Take, eat; this is My body. Matthew 26:26

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spi­ri­tu­al Songs, Book 1, 1707, num­ber 67. Seek­ing the pas­tures of Christ the Shep­herd.

Music: Arm­ley, in A Com­pi­la­tion of Ge­nu­ine Church Mu­sic, by Jo­seph Funk (Win­ches­ter, Vir­gin­ia: J. W. Holl­is, 1832) (🔊 pdf nwc).

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

Lyrics

Thou whom my soul ad­mires ab­ove
All earth­ly joy and earth­ly love,
Tell me, dear Shep­herd, let me know,
Where do Thy sweet­est pas­tures grow?

Where is the sha­dow of that rock
That from the sun de­fends Thy flock?
Fain would I feed among Thy sheep
Among them rest, among them sleep.

Why should Thy bride ap­pear like one
That turns aside to paths un­known?
My con­stant feet would ne­ver rove,
Would ne­ver seek an­oth­er love.

The foot­steps of Thy flock I see;
Thy sweet­est pas­tures here they be;
A won­drous feast thy love pre­pares,
Bought with Thy wounds, and groans, and tears.

His dear­est flesh He makes my food,
And bids me drink His rich­est blood:
Here to these hills my soul will come,
Till my be­lov­èd lead me home.