Jesus, Friend of Sinners

Jesus

friend of sin­ners

hast Thou love for me?

Son of God the Ho­ly

Man of mys­te­ry

Lover of the child­ren

teach­er of the wise

Let me read the sec­ret in Thy friend­ly eyes.

Jesus

friend of sin­ners

Thou hast read my heart

Searching its re­cess­es with a lov­er’s art;

Naught have I with­hold­en

no­thing hid from Thee—

Waste

or want

or fol­ly—things that should not be.

Jesus

friend of sin­ners

Thou hast touched my soul

Not with scorn­ful pity

not with beg­gar’s dole;

Thou hast not des­pis­èd men that faint or fall

Tenderer than bro­ther

for Thou know­est all.

Jesus

friend of sin­ners

bid me fol­low Thee

O’er the rug­ged high­ways

e’en to Cal­va­ry;

Let me know Thy Spir­it

sweet and strong and wise;

I would win the friend­ship in Thy lov­ing eyes.

Jesus

friend of sin­ners

hold me by Thy side

Till the sha­dows deep­en tow’rd the ev­en­tide;

To Thy strength and beau­ty I would ev­er bend

Till

in dawn eter­nal

friend shall be as friend!