Saturday, August 12, 2006

A Hymn for The Lord's Day

As I prepared the final notes for my sermon tomorrow, this hymn kept going through my mind, I found myself singing it as I prepared my text (Genesis 42)...

Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Refrain
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief,
Kneeling there in deep contrition;
Help my unbelief.

Refrain

Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.

Refrain

Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heav’n but Thee?

Refrain

TEXT: Fanny Crosby
MUSIC: William H. Doane

6 comments:

Matthew Celestine said...

Personally I object to the chorus of this hymn.

'Pass me not' shows an appalliong lack of faith and assurance in Christ's work.

God Bless

Matthew

Ray said...

That is too bad Matthew -- I don't see it that way... The hymn is progressive, starting with the first verse and going through to the end -- The refrain is simply a methodology of hymnody (or songs in general)... The verses show a definitive progression...

I don't know how you see an 'appalling lack of faith and assurance in Christ's work' in a song that has this verse:

Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heav’n but Thee?

Matthew Celestine said...

Yes, I suppose that is better. But I do feel uncomfortable those words about 'passing me by'.

God Bless

Matthew

Ray said...

Yes, and I think the hymn-writer did as well! :-)

Neil said...

I haven't heard this hymn for years. Thanks Ray.

Ray said...

Bugs -- I have a few more I may be posting soon... Not to break off the Tabernacle study but interleaved with it...