The Cyber Hymnal ‎#16732

16732. Afar from God

1. Afar from Heav’n thy feet have wandered;
Afar from God thy soul has strayed;
His gifts in sin thy hand has squandered,
Yet still in love He calls thee home.

Refrain:
Thy God is near thee—tell thy story,
For He will hear thy tale of sorrows;
Thy God is near thee—full of mercy,
And He will welcome thy return.

2. Thy feet have found sin’s way is thorny;
Thy heart has found its pleasures vain;
Thou hast grown weary, and about thee
The gloom has spread of dark despair. [Refrain]

3. The broken heart the Lord will favor;
The contrite spirit He will bless;
He came to be the lost one’s Savior;
He came to be the sinner’s friend. [Refrain]

4. Tell out thy need, and He’ll befriend thee;
Pour out thy heart’s deep grief to Him;
His boundless love, unmeasured mercy,
His free forgiveness, are for thee. [Refrain]

Text Information

• First Line: Afar from Heav'n thy feet have wandered
• Title: Afar from God
• Author: Richard Slater (1889)
• Refrain First Line: Thy God is near thee—tell thy story
• Language: English
• Source: The Salvation Soldiers' Song Book (Toronto, Canada: Salvation Army (Canada), 1889), number 213
• Copyright: Public Domain

Tune Information

• Name: [Afar from heaven thy feet have wandered] (Harkness)
• Composer: Robert Harkness (1903)
• Key: A♭ Major
• Source: Alexander's Gospel Songs, edited by Charles M. Alexander (New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1908), number 35
• Copyright: Public Domain