Once the world and its vain pleasures
Filled my heart and ev’ry thought;
Jesus and His heavenly treasures
Were unheeded and forgot;
Could a sinner
From so sad a state be brought?
Yes, for He who hath no pleasure
In the death of him that dies,
Stopped me, ere I filled the measure
Of my vast iniquities;
Gave repentance,
Break my chains, and bade me rise.
Deeply mourning, broken-hearted;
O, how sinful sin did seem!
From its ways I straight departed;
God I sought, and only Him;
Blest redemption!
It shall henceforth be my theme.
He who thus in mercy sought me,
Whilst I valued not His grace,
Kindly found me out and brought me
From destruction’s crooked ways,
Even Jesus
Will I ever love and praise.
Hence, the life I now am living,
Doth from Christ Himself arise,
Whilst by faith new strength receiving,
I press forward to the skies;
There faith ceaseth,
All is seen with open eyes.