Adventist Pioneer Library

Worship — Adoration of Christ

Jesus, the very thought of thee

  • No. 117
  • Metre C. M.
  • Tune ST. AGNES.
  • Words Bernard of Clairvaux.
  • Music John B. Dykes.
  • Key G major
  • Time 3/4
  • 5 stanzas
1

Jesus, the very thought of thee,
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far thy face to see,
And in thy presence rest.

2

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Jesus' name,
The Saviour of mankind.

3

O hope of every contrite heart!
O joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!

4

But what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor tongue nor pen can show:
The love of Jesus,—what it is,
None but his loved ones know.

5

Jesus, our only joy be thou,
As thou our prize wilt be;
In thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity.

About this hymn

As printed As printed: hymn number «117», tune name «ST. AGNES. C. M.» centred over the music, «John B. Dykes.» at the right (capitals and small capitals); running head «WORSHIP—ADORATION OF CHRIST.». Stanza 1 is interlinear, between the staves, one line per system, with «1.» before «Je-». Stanzas 2–5 are printed as text in the left column below the music, under the reference line «227, 80, 183.» in italics (= may also be sung to the tunes of hymns 227, 80 or 183). «Bernard of Clairvaux.» in italics after stanza 5 (a handwritten «(1091-1153)» beside it and a pen stroke under it are manuscript additions of this copy, not transcribed). The print sets a thin space before «!», «?» and «:» («heart !», «meek !», «art !», «seek !», «find ?», «Ah !», «show :»); it is closed up here. Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's. Lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are indented in the print.

Source
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymn and Tune Book (Battle Creek: Review & Herald, 1886/1888)
Where
Worship — Adoration of Christ · No. 117 · printed page 43
Checked
score verified (fork reading; parent check pending) · 2026-09-30
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