The Cyber Hymnal ‎#10335

10335. Blessed Are They That Do

1 Hear the words our Savior hath spoken,
Words of life, unfailing and true;
Careless one, prayerless one, hear and remember,
Jesus says, Blessèd are they that do.

Refrain:
Blessèd are they that do His commandments,
Blessèd are they, blessèd are they;
Blessèd are they that do His commandments,
Blessèd, blessèd, blessèd are they.

2 All in vain we hear His commandments,
All in vain His promises, too;
Hearing them, fearing them, never can save us,
Blessèd, O blessèd, are they that do. [Refrain]

3 They with joy may enter the city,
Free from sin, from sorrow and strife,
Sanctified, glorified, now and forever,
They may have right to the tree of life. [Refrain]

Text Information

• First Line: Hear the words our Savior hath spoken
• Title: Blessed Are They That Do
• Author: Philip B. Bliss (1871)
• Refrain First Line: Blessed are they that do His commandments
• Language: English
• Source: The Charm: A Collection of Sunday School Music (Chicago: Root & Cady, 1871)
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: [Hear the words our Savior hath spoken]
• Composer: Philip B. Bliss
• Key: A Major
• Copyright: Public Domain

Text Information:

The verse in Rev. xxii, 14, suggested this hymn. The tune was a favorite with Mr. Bliss, but after he learned more fully the fullness of the Gospel, he was dissatisfied with the words on account of the impression they left that the right to the tree of life was secured by our doing. It seemed clear to him that the translation of the verse in question claimed by many of the commentators, "Blessed are they that have washed their robes, that they may have right the tree of life," etc. must be the correct one, and it took away all Scripture authority for the teaching of his hymn in that direction. The truth presented in the Scriptures as to saved ones walking in the path of obedience, he could with a little change have taught in the hymn, and this he intended doing. During his last week in Rome [Pennsylvania], he called the attention of his brother-in-law, Mr. Young, to the above points of objection to the words, and said: "I cannot use it as it is. I see so clearly its contradiction of the Gospel that I have no liberty in singing it, and must make a change in it before it goes into another book." This was the only hymn he had written, that I am aware of, that is liable to criticism in this direction.

Memoirs of Philip P. Bliss by Daniel Webster Whittle (New York: A. S. Barnes Company, 1877