The Christian — Unfaithfulness Lamented

Jesus, Friend of sinners, hear

No. 591
Words Charles Wesley.
Singing key B♭ major
3 stanzas

Sung to PENITENCE (hymn 590)

Words

Jesus, Friend of sinners, hearYet once again, I pray;From my debt of sin set clear,For I have naught to pay:Speak, O speak the kind release,A poor backsliding soul restore;Love me freely, seal my peace,And bid me sin no more.

For my selfishness and prideThou hast withdrawn thy grace;Left me long to wander wide,An outcast from thy face;But I now my sins confess,And mercy, mercy, I implore;Love me freely, seal my peace,And bid me sin no more.

Sin's deceitfulness hath spreadA hardness o'er my heart;But if thou thy Spirit shed,The stony shall depart:Shed thy love, thy tenderness,And let me feel thy softening power;Love me freely, seal my peace,And bid me sin no more.

About this hymn

As printed Words only. As printed: hymn number «591» (large) at the head of the right column of p. 192, under the music of hymn 590 PENITENCE, with NO reference line (no tune numbers are printed for this hymn; the text has the meter of PENITENCE, P. M. 7.6.7.6.7.8.7.6, printed directly above it); it ends at the foot of the column with «Charles Wesley.» in italics. The first word is set in capitals and small capitals («JESUS,»), written «Jesus,» here. Stanzas numbered «1», «2», «3» without a full stop (numbered «1.» etc. here). Lines 2, 4, 6, 8 of each stanza are indented in the print. The print sets a thin space before «;» and «:» («pray ;», «pay :», «grace ;»); it is closed up here. Spelling, punctuation and capitals are the print's.