I Stood Outside the Gate

I stood out­side the gate

A poor

way­far­ing child;

Within my heart there beat

A tem­pest loud and wild;

A fear op­pressed my soul

That I might be too late;

And oh

I trem­bled sore

And prayed out­side the gate

And prayed out­side the gate.

Oh

Mer­cy! loud I cried

Now give me rest from sin!

I will

a voice re­plied;

And Mer­cy let me in;

She bound my bleed­ing wounds

And soothed my heart op­pressed;

She washed away my guilt

And gave me peace and rest

And gave me peace and rest.

In Mer­cy’s guise I knew

The Sav­ior long abused

Who oft­en sought my heart

And wept when I re­fused;

Oh! what a blest re­turn

For all my years of sin!

I stood out­side the gate

And Je­sus let me in

And Je­sus let me in.