My Savior! I Behold Thy Life

Representative Text

1. My Savior! I behold Thy life
Of not one smile and many tears;
I mark the spiritual strife,
Thy human woes, Thy human fears,
And cry, Was ever grief like Thine,
Or debt of sin so vast as mine?

2. I watch Thine agonizing hour,
I see Thee by Thine own betrayed,
Alone in Pilate’s craven power,
And scourged and scornfully arrayed,
And cry, Was ever grief like Thine,
Or debt of sin so vast as mine?

3. I see Thee fainting on Thy way,
Reviled and mocked of all the throng,
I hear the bitter words they say,
The abject’s sneer, the drunkard’s song,
And cry, Was ever grief like Thine,
Or debt of sin so vast as mine?

4. That sin in every taunt I hear,
And see in every look of scorn;
It is the cross which Thou dost bear,
The sharpness of Thy crown of thorn:
Dear Lord, Was ever grief like Thine,
Or debt of sin so vast as mine?

5. My Savior, I behold Thy death,
I hear Thy cries, Thy last words seven,
I see the scowling gaze beneath,
Above, the darkened face of Heaven,
And cry, Was ever grief like Thine,
Or debt of sin so vast as mine?

6. My Savior, I behold Thy grave
In that still garden’s awful gloom,
I see Thee lying there to save
My soul from an eternal tomb,
And cry, Was ever grief like Thine,
Or debt of sin so vast as mine?

7. And yet with all I hear and see
Of Death, or Passion of Thy life,
Sweet hopes are ministered to me
And voices fall with comfort rife,
That say, Because He lived and died,
From sin thou canst be purified!

Author: Samuel J. Stone

Stone, Samuel John, a clergyman of the Church of England, the son of Rev. William Stone, was born at Whitmore, Staffordshire, April 25, 1839. He was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford, where he was graduated B.A. in 1862. Later he took orders and served various Churches. He succeeded his father at St. Paul's, Haggerstown, in 1874. He was the author of many original hymns and translations, which were collected and published in 1886. His hymns are hopeful in spirit and skillfully constructed. He published several poetic volumes. He died November 19, 1900 --Hymn Writers of the Church, 1915 (Charles Nutter)… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: My Savior! I behold Thy life
Title: My Savior! I Behold Thy Life
Author: Samuel J. Stone (1866)
Meter: 8.8.8.8.8.8
Source: Twelve Hymns of the Twelve Articles of the Apostle's Creed (London: Messrs. Parker and Co., 1866).; Lyra Fidelium
Language: English
Notes: Alternate tunes: FOLKINGHAM, from Supplement to the New Version, by Tate & Brady, 1700; LEST WE FORGET, George F. Blanchard, 1868-1926
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

VATER UNSER

Martin Luther's versification of the Lord's Prayer was set to this tune in Valentin Schumann's hymnal, Geistliche Lieder (1539); the tune, whose composer remains unknown, had some earlier use. The tune name derives from Luther's German incipit: “Vater unser im Himmelreich….” Because VATER UNSE…

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The Cyber Hymnal #4358

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