Scripture Verse

Christ…suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps. 1 Peter 2:21

Introduction

portrait
Charles H. Gabriel (1856–1932)

Words: Sam­uel Pearce (1766–1799).

Music: Adowa Charles H. Ga­bri­el, 1912 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Samuel Pearce
1766–1799

Lyrics

Whene’er I look in­to Thy word,
And read about my dear­est Lord,
The friend of sin­ful man,
And trace my Sav­ior’s foot­steps there;
What hum­ble love, what ho­ly fear,
Through all His con­duct ran!

If I re­gard the match­less grace
He showed unto the hu­man race,
How He for them be­came
A poor so­journer here be­low,
Oppressed by pain and sor­row too,
I can’t but love His name.

And when I view His love to God,
Those steps in which the Sav­ior trod,
I long to tread them too;
I long to be in­spired with zeal,
To ex­e­cute my Fa­ther’s will,
As Je­sus used to do.

I read, that He on du­ty bent,
To lone­ly plac­es oft­en went,
To seek His Fa­ther there:
The ear­ly morn and dewy ground
Can wit­ness, they the Sav­ior found,
Engaged in fer­vent pray­er.

And did my Sav­ior use to pray,
Before the light un­veiled the day;
And shall I back­ward be?
No, dear­est Lord, for­bid the thought,
Help me to fight as Je­sus fought,
Each foe that hin­ders me.

And you, my friends, who love His name,
Who love to im­i­tate the Lamb,
And more of Je­sus know;
Come let us all sur­round His throne,
And see what bless­ings on His own
Our Sav­ior will be­stow.

Though fears be great, temp­ta­tions strong,
And though we oft have wait­ed long,
Perhaps He may de­sign
This morn to give each soul to see,
And say with Paul, He died for me,
And my Re­deem­er’s mine.

Now cheer­ful we’ll be­gin to pray,
That He will wash our sins away
In His aton­ing blood;
That He His bless­ing may be­stow,
And give each sin­ner here to know
That he’s a child of God.