Indexes for The Sacred Harp, 1991 Edition
104 The Lovely Story
Words: Battle’s Collection, 1814
Music: Arr. E. J. King, ca. 1844
Meter: 8s (8,8,8,8,8,8,8,8)
A story most lovely I’ll tell,
Of Jesus, Oh wondrous surprise,
He suffered the torments of hell,
That sinners, vile sinners may rise;
He left His exalted abode,
When man by transgressions was lost,
Appeasing the wrath of a God,
He shed forth His blood as the cost.
Oh did my dear Jesus thus bleed,
And pity a ruined lost race;
Oh whence did such mercy proceed,
Such boundless compassion and grace?
His body bore anguish and pain,
His spirit most sunk with the load,
A short time before He was slain,
His sweat was as great drops of blood.
Of Jesus, Oh wondrous surprise,
He suffered the torments of hell,
That sinners, vile sinners may rise;
He left His exalted abode,
When man by transgressions was lost,
Appeasing the wrath of a God,
He shed forth His blood as the cost.
Oh did my dear Jesus thus bleed,
And pity a ruined lost race;
Oh whence did such mercy proceed,
Such boundless compassion and grace?
His body bore anguish and pain,
His spirit most sunk with the load,
A short time before He was slain,
His sweat was as great drops of blood.