Often Had I Heard the Story

Often had I heard the sto­ry

Thou didst die for me;

Thou didst leave Thy throne in glo­ry

That I might love Thee:

But with sense and sight per­vert­ed

By the sub­tle power of sin

And with thoughts from God di­vert­ed

All was dark with­in.

Thou didst call me to Thy glo­ry

Thou didst die for me;

But my heart re­pelled the sto­ry

Shut the door to Thee.

Speak to me

O Ho­ly Spir­it;

Show my mi­se­ry;

Show me my Re­deem­er’s merit

As my on­ly plea.

Fill my spir­it with Thy shin­ing

Bid Thy fruits in me in­crease

Give in place of past re­pin­ing

Love and joy and peace.

Thou didst call me to Thy glo­ry

Thou didst die for me;

Now my heart ac­cepts the sto­ry

Yields it­self to Thee.

Let me live

O lov­ing Je­sus

Witnessing Thy pow­er;

Let me hear Thy sweet I love you

Whispered ev­ery hour.

Make me deep­er in my yearn­ing

For the world to know Thy grace

For the joy of Thy re­turn­ing

For Thy glo­ri­ous face.

Thou didst call me to Thy glo­ry

Thou didst die for me;

Quickly come; com­plete the sto­ry;

Take me up to Thee.