John 13
Ere Jesus left this scene below
For God’s right hand above,
What pains He took that we should know
How constant is His love!
As in His death it brightly shone,
And proved Himself our Friend;
So now on high He loves His own,
And loves them to the end.
Full well He knew the world of death
Through which we’re called to pass,
That on our souls would fix its breath,
As vapor clings to glass;
So He, to raise our spirits’ tone,
On us His eye doth bend;
For, having freely loved His own,
He loves them to the end.
To make us for communion meet,
Our true and only bliss,
He condescends to wash our feet
When we have walked amiss;
To guard our hearts, to evil prone,
On us doth He attend;
For, having freely loved His own,
He loves them to the end.
Amazing grace! Himself to gird,
That He our souls may serve,
And wash us by His cleansing Word,
Whene ‘er from Him we swerve;
Though there in glory on the throne,
Thus low will He descend;
For, having freely loved His own,
He loves them to the end.
Bathed in His Word, clean every whit,
No spot our souls to dim,
What holy joy with Him to sit,
And hear and talk with Him!
Thus in our hearts His Word is sown,
And we on Him depend:
For, having freely loved His own,
He loves them to the end.
This tempting scene will soon be passed,
And we no more shall roam,
No sorrow fear, no trouble’s blast,
But dwell with Him at home.
Then shall we see Him on His throne,
And, while in praise we bend,
Himself He’ll show unto His own,
With love that knows no end.