O Jesus, I have promised
Tune "Wolvercote" by W. H. Ferguson (1874–1950)
Tune "Thornbury" by Basil Harwood (1859–1949)
Tune "Hatherop Castle" by Geoffrey Beaumont (1903–1970)
O Jesus, I have promised
To serve thee to the end;
Be thou for ever near me,
My Master and my Friend:
I shall not fear the battle
If thou art by my side,
No wander from the pathway
If thou wilt be my guide.
O let me feel thee near me:
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me,
Around me and within;
But, Jesus, draw thou nearer,
And shield my soul from sin.
O let me hear thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion,
The murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
To hasten or control;
O speak, and make me listen,
Thou guardian of my soul.
O Jesus, thou has promsed
To all who follow thee,
That where thou art in glory
There shall thy servant be;
And, Jesus, I have promised
To serve thee to the end:
O give me grace to follo,
My Master and my Friend.
O let me see thy foot-marks,
And in them plan mine own;
My hope to follow duly
is in thy strength alone:
O guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then in heaven receive me,
my Saviour and my Friend.
J. E. Bode (1816–74)
Notes:
Copyright has expired. Permission to reproduce these words is not required.
When using the tune “Hatherop Castle” the last two lines of the last verse must be repeated thus:
O let me see thy foot-marks,
And in them plan mine own;
My hope to follow duly
is in thy strength alone:
O guide me, call me, draw me,
Uphold me to the end;
And then in heaven receive me,
my Saviour and my Friend;
And then in heaven receive me,
my Saviour and my Friend.
Ref: AMNS 331