Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd

Dear to the heart of the Shep­herd

Dear are the sheep of His fold;

Dear is the love that He gives them

Dearer than sil­ver or gold.

Dear to the heart of the Shep­herd

Dear are His oth­er lost sheep;

Over the mount­ains He fol­lows

Over the wa­ters so deep.

Out in the de­sert they wan­der

Hungry and help­less and cold;

Off to the res­cue He hast­ens

Bringing them back to the fold.

Dear to the heart of the Shep­herd

Dear are the lambs of His fold;

Some from the pas­tures are stray­ing

Hungry and help­less and cold.

See

the good Shep­herd is seek­ing

Seeking the lambs that are lost;

Bringing them in with re­joic­ing

Saved at such in­fi­nite cost.

Dear to the heart of the Shep­herd

Dear are the nine­ty and nine;

Dear are the sheep that have wan­dered

Out in the de­sert to pine.

Hark! He is ear­nest­ly call­ing

Tenderly plead­ing to­day;

Will you not seek for My lost ones

Off from My shel­ter as­tray?

Green are the pas­tures in­vit­ing

Sweet are the wa­ters and still;

Lord

we will an­swer Thee glad­ly

Yes

bless­èd Mas­ter

we will!

Make us Thy true un­der-shep­herds

Give us a love that is deep;

Send us out in­to the de­sert

Seeking Thy wan­der­ing sheep.