SWEET HARMONIES by C



SWEET HARMONIES by C.L. Parker. - (died. 1967)

'Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God ... Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God.' Ps 147,1  & 7.

        These Hymn Tunes were written throughout my husband's 'Born Again' years from 1917 onwards. I especially remember us singing the early ones in the streets of Oxford where, with a few students from our small Bible School including Elisha Thompson, we were pioneering a work in 1923-24.

        He was very musical and found great release in beautiful melody. I have often seen him in tears over some lovely theme from such works as Elgar's Nimrod Variation and Tchaikovsky's Fantasie Overture "Romeo & Juliet", or rejoicing exuberantly over Bach's Brandenburg Concertos..

        Music in praise of the Saviour was particularly delightful to him. I can see him now rising from prayer and meditation, or simply returning from a walk or a preaching engagement, and, sitting down at the piano, pouring out his heart to God in praise as he composed these tunes, restfully enjoying the sense of His presence.

        John, my son, encouraged me to gather his somewhat worn manuscripts together and rewrite the tunes for publication, feeling that they might bring blessing to others as they have to us.

Phyllis H. Parker

CONTENTS.

|A DEBTOR TO MERCY ALONE |Page 3 |

|ACCORDING TO THY GRACIOUS WORD |8 |

|ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOUR LEADS ME |2 |

|BRIGHTLY BEAMS OUR FATHER'S MERCY |15 |

|COME LET US TO THE LORD |12 |

|DAY IS DYING IN THE WEST |5 |

|FAR AWAY MY STEPS HAVE WANDERED |6 |

|FATHER OF MERCIES! IN THY WORD |11 |

|HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION |17 |

|I HEAR THE WORDS OF LOVE |14 |

|I KNOW NOT THE HOUR OF HIS COMING |18 |

|IF OUR LORD SHOULD COME TONIGHT |22 |

|JUST AS I AM WITHOUT ONE PLEA |7 |

|LORD I HAVE MADE THY WORD MY CHOICE |9 |

|O GOLDEN DAY |4 |

|O HEAD ONCE FILLED WITH BRUISES |19 |

|OUT OF CHRIST WITHOUT A SAVIOUR |20 |

|SOULS OF MEN! WHY WILL YE SCATTER |10 |

|THERE'S A GREAT DAY COMING |21 |

|THERE'S A HILL LONE AND GREY |23 |

|THOU SWEET BELOVED WILL OF GOD |13 |

|WHEN THIS PASSING WORLD IS DONE |Page 16 |

Every effort has been made to trace any copyright still existing for the words used, and apologies are offered should any such copyright have been infringed.

Hymn 1.

|ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOUR LEADS ME |

|Fanny J. Crosby |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    All the way my Saviour leads me: |3.    All the way my Saviour leads me; |

|What have I to ask beside? |Oh, the fulness of His love! |

|Can I doubt His tender mercy, |Perfect rest to me is promised |

|Who through life has been my guide? |In my Father's house above. |

|Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, |When my spirit, clothed, immortal, |

|Here by faith in Him to dwell! |Wings its flight to realms of day, |

|For I know whate'er befall me, |This my song through endless ages, |

|Jesus doeth all things well. |Jesus led me all the way. |

|2.    All the way my Saviour leads me, | |

|Cheers each winding path I tread, | |

|Gives me grace for every trial, |RH 455 |

|Feeds me with the Living Bread. |RS 445 |

|Though my weary steps may falter, | |

|And my soul athirst may be, | |

|Gushing from the Rock before me, | |

|Lo! a spring of joy I see. | |

Hymn 2.

|A DEBTOR TO MERCY ALONE. |

|A. M. Toplady |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    A debtor to mercy alone, |3.    My name from the palms of His hands |

|Of covenant mercy I sing; |Eternity will nor erase; |

|Nor fear, with God's righteousness on, |Impressed on His heart it remains, |

|My person and off'ring to bring. |In marks of indelible grace. |

|The terrors of law and of God |Yes, I to the end shall endure, |

|With me can have nothing to do; |As sure as the earnest is given; |

|My Saviour's obedience and blood |More happy, but not more secure, |

|Hide all my transgressions from view. |The glorified spirits in heaven. |

|2.    The work which His goodness began | |

|The arm of His strength will complete; | |

|His promise is Yea and Amen, |RH 390 |

|And never was forfeited yet. | |

|Things future, nor things that are now, | |

|Nor all things below or above, | |

|Can make him His purpose forgo, | |

|Or sever my soul from his love. | |

Hymn 3.

|O GOLDEN DAY. |

|Julia H. Johnston |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    O Golden day, when light shall break |5.    I dimly see my journey's end, |

|And dawn's bright glories shall unfold, |But well I know who guideth me, |

|When He who knows the path I take |I follow Him, that wondrous Friend, |

|Shall ope for me the gates of gold. |Whose matchless love is full and free. |

|2.    Earth's little while will soon be past, |6.    And when with him I enter in, |

|My pilgrim song will soon be o'er, |And all the way look back to trace, |

|The grace that saves shall time outlast, |The conqueror's palm I then shall win |

|And be my theme on yonder shore. |Thro' Christ and His redeeming grace. |

|3.    Life's upward way, a narrow path, | |

|Leads on to that fair dwelling place, |CHORUS |

|Where safe from sin, and storm, and wrath, |Then I shall know as I am known |

|They live who trust redeeming grace. |And stand complete before the throne; |

|4.    Sing, sing my heart, along the way, |Then I shall see my Saviour's face, |

|The grace that saves will keep and guide, |And all my song be Saving Grace. |

|Till breaks the glorious crowning day, |RS 729 |

|And I shall cross to yonder side. | |

Hymn 4.

|DAY IS DYING IN THE WEST. |

|Mary A. Lathbury |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    Day is dying in the west, |3.    When forever from our sight |

|Heav'n is touching earth with rest, |Pass the stars, the day, the night, |

|Wait and worship while the night |Lord of angels, on our eyes |

|Sets her evening lamps alight |Let eternal morning rise, |

|    Through all the sky. |    And shadows end. |

|2.    While the deep'ning shadows fall, |CHORUS |

|Heart of love enfolding all, |Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts! |

|Thro' the glory and the grace |Heaven and earth are full of Thee; |

|Of the stars that veil Thy Face, |Heav'n and earth are praising Thee, |

|    Our hearts ascend. |    O Lord most high! |

| |RH 794 |

| |RS 855 |

Hymn 5.

|FAR AWAY MY STEPS HAVE WANDERED. |

|Henrietta E. Blair |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    Far away my steps have wandered, |4.    Though Thy love I long have slighted, |

|On the rugged mountain's brow; |O'er my wasted years I weep; |

|But to Thee my heart is crying, |In Thy blessed arms of mercy, |

|Gentle Shepherd, save me now! |Shield and save Thy wandering sheep. |

|2.    Thou hast borne my weight of sorrow, |CHORUS |

|At thy feet I humbly bow; | |

|And my heart with thee is pleading, |Save me now! Save me now! |

|Gentle Shepherd, save me now! |Gentle Shepherd, save me now! |

|3.    Though Thy love I long have slighted, |Unto Thee my heart is crying, |

|Though ungrateful I have been, |Gentle Shepherd, save me now! |

|To Thy fold my faith has brought me; | |

|Let my weary soul come in. |RS 730 |

Hymn 6.

|JUST AS I AM WITHOUT ONE PLEA |

|Charlotte Elliott |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    Just as I am without one plea, |3.    Just as I am. Thou wilt receive, |

|But that Thy blood was shed for me, |WiIt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; |

|And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, |Because Thy promise I believe, |

|0 Lamb of God, I come, I come. |0 Lamb of God, I come, I come. |

|2.    Just as I am, and waiting not |4.    Just as I am - Thy love unknown |

|To rid my soul of one dark blot; |Has broken ev'ry barrier down; |

|To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, |Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone, |

|0 Lamb of God, I come, I come. |0 Lamb of God, I come, I come. |

| | |

| |RS 292 |

| |RH 354 |

Hymn 7.

|ACCORDING TO THY GRACIOUS WORD |

|J. Montgomery |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    According to Thy gracious word, |4.    When to the Cross I turn mine eyes, |

|In meek humility, |And rest on Calvary, |

|This will I do, my dying Lord: |0 Lamb of God my sacrifice, |

|I will remember Thee. |I must remember Thee:— |

|2.    Thy body, broken for my sake, |5.    Remember Thee, and all Thy pains, |

|My bread from heaven shall be; |And all Thy love to me; |

|Thy testamental cup I take, |Yea, while a breath, a pulse remains, |

|And thus remember Thee. |Will I remember Thee. |

|3.    Gethsemane can I forget? |6.    And when these failing lips grow dumb, |

|Or there Thy conflict see, |And mind and memory flee, |

|Thine agony and bloody sweat, |When thou shalt in Thy Kingdom come |

|And not remember Thee? |Then, Lord, remember me. |

| | |

| |RH 704 |

Hymn 8.

|LORD I HAVE MADE THY WORD MY CHOICE |

|I. Watts |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    Lord, I have made Thy Word my choice, |3.    'Tis a broad land of wealth unknown, |

|My lasting heritage; |Where springs of life arise, |

|There shall my noblest powers rejoice, |Seeds of immortal bliss are sown, |

|My warmest thoughts engage. |And hidden glory lies. |

|2.    I'll read the histories of Thy love, |4.    The best relief that mourners have, |

|And keep Thy laws in sight, |It makes our sorrows blest; |

|While through Thy promises I rove |Our fairest hope beyond the grave, |

|With ever fresh delight. |And our eternal rest. |

| | |

| |RS 503 |

Hymn 9.

|SOULS OF MEN! WHY WILL YE SCATTER |

|F. W. Faber |C. L. Parker |

[pic]

|1.    Souls of men! why will ye scatter |5.    There is plentiful redemption |

|Like a crowd of frightened sheep? |In the blood that has been shed; |

|Foolish hearts, why will ye wander |There is joy for all the members |

|From a love so true and deep? |In the sorrows of the Head. |

|2.    Was there ever kindest shepherd |6.    Pining souls! come nearer Jesus, |

|Half so gentle, half so sweet, |And O come not doubting thus, |

|As the Saviour, who would have us |But with faith that trusts more bravely |

|Come and gather round His feet? |His great tenderness for us. |

|3.    There's a wideness in God's mercy, |7.    If our love were but more simple, |

|Like the wideness of the sea; |We should take Him at His word; |

|There's a kindness in His justice, |And our lives would be all sunshine |

|Which is more than liberty. |In the sweetness of our Lord. |

|4.    For the love of God is broader | |

|Than the measure of man's mind; |RH 295 |

|And the heart of the Eternal |RS 224 |

|Is most wonderfully kind. | |

Hymn 10.

|FATHER OF MERCIES! IN THY WORD |

|Anne Steele |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    Father of mercies! in Thy Word |4.    Oh, may these heavenly pages be |

|What endless glory shines! |My ever dear delight, |

|For ever be Thy name adored |And still new beauties may I see, |

|For these celestial lines. |And still increasing light, |

|2.    Here may the wretched sons of want |5.    Divine Instructor, gracious Lord! |

|Exhaustless riches find; |Be Thou for ever near; |

|Riches above what earth can grant, |Teach me to love Thy sacred Word, |

|And lasting as the mind. |And view my Saviour there. |

|3.    Here the Redeemer's welcome voice | |

|Spreads heav'nly peace around; |RH 273 |

|And life and everlasting joys |RS 505 |

|Attend the blissful sound. | |

Hymn 11.

|COME LET US TO THE LORD |

|adapted by John Morison |C. L. Parker |

|from Biblical words. | |

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|1.    Come let us to the Lord our God |4.    Our hearts, if God we seek to know, |

|With contrite hearts return; |Shall know him and rejoice; |

|Our God is gracious, nor will leave |His coming like the morn shall be, |

|The desolate to mourn. |Like morning songs His voice. |

|2.    His voice commands the tempest forth, |5.    As dew upon the tender herb, |

|And stills the stormy wave; |Diffusing fragrance round; |

|And though His arm be strong to smite, |As showers that usher in the spring, |

|'Tis also strong to save. |And cheer the thirsty ground, |

|3.    Long hath the night of sorrow reigned, |6.    So shall His presence bless our souls |

|The dawn shall bring us light; |And shed a joyful light; |

|God shall appear, and we shall rise |That hallowed morn shall chase away |

|With gladness in His sight. |The sorrows of the night. |

| |RS 59 |

Hymn 12.

|THOU SWEET BELOVED WILL OF GOD |

|Tersteegen (vv 1-2) |C. L. Parker |

|Jean Sophia Pigott (vv 3-5) | |

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|1.    Thou sweet belovèd will of God, |4.    Upon God's will I lay me down, |

|My anchor ground, my fortress hill, |As child upon its mother's breast; |

|My spirit's silent, fair abode, |No silken couch, nor softest bed, |

|In Thee I hide me, and am still. |Could ever give me such deep rest. |

|2.    O will that willest good alone, |5.    Thy wonderful grand will, my God, |

|Lead Thou the way, Thou guidest best; |With triumph now I make it mine; |

|A little child, I follow on, |And faith shall cry a joyous "Yes!" |

|And trusting, lean upon Thy breast. |To every dear command of Thine. |

|3.    Oh, lightest burden, sweetest yoke! | |

|It lifts, it bears my happy soul; |RH 575 |

|It giveth wings to this poor heart; |RS 496 |

|My freedom is Thy grand control. | |

Hymn 13.

|I HEAR THE WORDS OF LOVE |

|Dr. H. Bonar |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    I hear the words of love, |4.    My love is oft-times low, |

|I gaze upon the blood, |My joy still ebbs and flows; |

|I see the mighty sacrifice, |But peace with Him remains the same, |

|And I have peace with God. |No change Jehovah knows. |

|2.    'Tis everlasting peace! |5.    I change, He changes not, |

|Sure as Jehovah's name; |The Christ can never die; |

|'Tis stable as His steadfast throne, |His love, not mine, the resting place, |

|For evermore the same. |His truth, not mine, the tie. |

|3.    The clouds may go and come, | |

|And storms may sweep my sky— |RH 707 |

|This blood-sealed friendship changes not, |RS 216 |

|The cross is ever nigh. | |

Hymn 14.

|BRIGHTLY BEAMS OUR FATHER'S MERCY |

|P. P. Bliss |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    Brightly beams our Father's mercy, |3.    Trim your feeble lamp, my brother: |

|From His lighthouse evermore; |Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed, |

|But to us He gives the keeping |Trying now to make the harbour, |

|Of the lights along the shore. |In the darkness may be lost. |

|2.    Dark the night of sin has settled, |CHORUS |

|Loud the angry billows roar; |Let the lower lights be burning! |

|Eager eyes are watching, longing, |Send a gleam across the wave! |

|For the lights along the shore. |Some poor fainting, struggling seaman |

| |You may rescue, you may save! |

| |RS 455 |

Hymn 15.

|WHEN THIS PASSING WORLD IS DONE |

|Robert McCheyne |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    When this passing world is done, |4.    When the praise of Heaven I hear, |

|When has sunk yon glowing sun, |Loud as thunders to the ear; |

|When we stand, with Christ in glory, |Loud as many waters' noise. |

|Looking o'er life's finished story, |Sweet as harp's melodious voice, |

|2.    When I stand before the throne, | |

|Dressed in beauty not my own; |CHORUS |

|When I see Thee as Thou art, |Then, dear Lord, shall I fully know, |

|Love Thee with unsinning heart, |Not till then, how much I owe; |

|3.    When I hear the wicked call, |Then, dear Lord, shall I fully know, |

|On the rocks and hills to fall; |Not till then, how much I owe. |

|When I see them start and shrink |RS 794 |

|On the fiery deluge brink, | |

Hymn 16.

|HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION |

|George Keith |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, |

|Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! |

|What more can He say than to you He hath said, |

|You who unto Jesus for refuge have fled? |

|2.    Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed! |

|I, I am Thy God, and will still give thee aid; |

|I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, |

|Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. |

|3.    When through the deep waters I call thee to go, |

|The rivers of grief shall not thee overflow; |

|For I will be with thee in trouble to bless, |

|And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress. |

|4.    The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose, |

|I will not, I will not desert to its foes; |

|That soul, though all hell should endeavour to shake, |

|I'll never, no never, no never forsake! |

|RH 264 |

|RS 41 |

Hymn 17.

|I KNOW NOT THE HOUR OF HIS COMING |

|Fanny J. Crosby |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    I know not the hour of His coming, |4.    I know not, but oh I am watching, |

|Nor how He will speak to my heart; |My lamp ever burning and bright; |

|Or whether at morning or mid-day |I know not if Jesus will call me |

|My spirit to Him will depart. |At morning, at noon, or at night. |

|2.    I know not the bliss that awaits me, | |

|At rest with my Saviour above; |CHORUS |

|I know not how soon I shall enter |But I know I shall wake in the likeness |

|And bathe in the ocean of love. |Of Him I am longing to see; |

|3.    Perhaps in the midst of my labour |I know that mine eyes shall behold Him, |

|A voice from my Lord I shall hear; |Who died for a sinner like me. |

|Perhaps in the slumber of mid-night, |RS 805 |

|Its message may fall on my ear. | |

Hymn 18.

|O HEAD ONCE FILLED WITH BRUISES |

|Gerhardt |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    O head once fill'd with bruises, |2.    Thou, Lord,of all transcendant; |

|Oppressed with pain and scorn: |Thou life-creating Sun |

|O'erwhelmed with sore abuses, |To worlds on Thee dependent— |

|Mocked with a crown of thorn! |Yet bruised and spit upon! |

|O head to death once wounded, |O Lord! what Thee tormented |

|In shame upon the tree, |Was our sin's heavy load; |

|In glory now surrounded |We had the debt augmented |

|With brightest Majesty! |Which Thou didst pay in blood. |

|3.    We give thee thanks unfeignèd, |

|Lord Jesus, Friend in need, |

|For what Thy soul sustainèd |

|When thou for us didst bleed; |

|Grant us to lean unshaken |

|Upon Thy faithfulness, |

|Until to Glory taken |

|We see Thee face to face.         RH 163 |

Hymn 19.

|OUT OF CHRIST WITHOUT A SAVIOUR |

|F.M. Davis |C. L. Parker |

|    (Last 2 verses by R.F.B.) | |

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|1.    Out of Christ, without a Saviour, |4.    Out of Christ, without a Saviour, |

|Oh! can it, can it be? |Dark will the voyage be; |

|Like a ship without a rudder, |Clouds will gather, storms surround you, |

|On a wild and stormy sea! |Oh, to Christ for refuge flee! |

|2.    Out of Christ, without a Saviour, |5.    Out of Christ, without a Saviour, |

|Lonely and dark the way; |Give to Him now your heart, |

|With no light, no hope in Jesus, |Ere the door of mercy closes, |

|Making bright the cheerless day. |And you hear His word, "Depart". |

|3.    Out of Christ, without a Saviour, |CHORUS |

|No help nor refuge nigh, |Oh, to be without a Saviour, |

|How can you, my friend and brother, |With no hope nor refuge nigh! |

|Dare to live, or dare to die? |Can it be, O blessed Saviour, |

| |One without Thee dares to die? |

| |RS 240 |

Hymn 20.

|THERE'S A GREAT DAY COMING |

|W. L. Thompson |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    There's a great day coming, a great day coming, |

|There's a great day coming by and by, |

|When the saints and the sinners shall be parted right and left, |

|Are you ready for that day to come? |

|2.    There's a bright day coming, a bright day coming, |

|There's a bright day coming by and by, |

|But its brightness shall only come to them that love the Lord, |

|Are you ready for that day to come? |

|3.    There's a sad day coming, a sad day coming, |

|There's a sad day coming by and by, |

|When the sinner shall hear his doom, "Depart, I know you not." |

|Are you ready for that day to come? |

|CHORUS |

|Are you ready, are you ready, |

|Are you ready for the judgment day? |

|Are you ready, are you ready, |

|Are you ready for the judgment day?             RS 241 |

Hymn 21.

|IF OUR LORD SHOULD COME TONIGHT |

|Harriet E. Jones |C. L. Parker |

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|1.    If our Lord should come to-night |3.    Christ as King and Judge will come, |

|With the bright angelic host, |'Tis recorded in His book; |

|Would He find us in His vineyard, |He will bid us stand before Him |

|Ev'ry servant at his post? |Not a soul will He o'erlook! |

|Thro' the precious, cleansing blood |Are we ready, ev'ry one? |

|Are our garments clean and white? |Are we in the raiment white? |

|Are we dwelling in the light, |If the Judge of all mankind |

|Should our Lord appear to-night? |Should appear this very night? |

|2.    If our Lord should come to-night, |CHORUS |

|Come as King and Judge of all, |Are we watching, are we waiting |

|Are there any here assembled |In the raiment pure and white? |

|Who would tremble at His call? |Should we joy at His appearing |

|Is there one, oh, is there one |If our Lord should come to-night? |

|Far from Jesus and the light, |RS 514 |

|Unrepentant, lost, undone, | |

|If the Judge should come to-night? | |

Hymn 22.

|THERE'S A HILL LONE AND GREY |

|Dr. R. Carradine |C. L. Parker |

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|1. There's a hill lone and grey, in a land far away, |5. Then the darkness came down and the rocks rent around, |

|In a country beyond the blue sea, |And a cry pierced the grief laden air; |

|Where beneath that fair sky went a man forth to die |'Twas the voice of our King who received death's dark sting |

|For the World and for you and for me. |All to save us from endless despair. |

|2. Behold! faint on the road, 'neath a world's heavy load, |6. Let the sun hide its face, let the earth reel apace, |

|Comes a thorn-crownèd man on the way, |Over men who their Saviour have slain; |

|With a cross He is bowed, but still on through the crowd |But behold from the sod, comes the blest Lamb of God, |

|He's ascending that hill lone and grey. |Who was slain and is risen again. |

|3. Hark! I hear the dull blow of the hammer swung low; |CHORUS |

|They are nailing my Lord to the tree, |Oh, it bows down the heart, |

|And the cross they upraise while the multitude gaze |And the tear-drops will start, |

|On the blest Lamb of dark Calvary. |When in memory that grey hill I see, |

|4. How they mock Him in death, to His last labouring breath, |For 'twas there on its side, |

|While His friends sadly weep o'er the way! |Jesus suffered and died, |

|But though lonely and faint, still no word of complaint |To redeem a poor sinner like me. |

|Fell from Him on the hill lone and grey. |RS 82 |

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