You help make Hymnary.org possible. More than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources and encouragement on Hymnary.org in 2025, including you. Every visit affirms the global impact of this ministry.

If Hymnary has been meaningful to you this year, would you take a moment today to help sustain it? A gift of any size—paired with a note of encouragement if you wish—directly supports the server costs, research work and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org
Calvin University
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for your partnership, and may the hope of Advent fill your heart.

80. The Past

1 The past we never can undo,
Tho’ with thrice bitter tears,
And deepest gloom we it review,—
‘Tis sealed up with the years.

Refrain:
O Lord, forgive, O Lord, receive,
And bless thy erring child;
I do repent and now believe
That thou art reconciled.

2 Could we but live it o’er again,
How different it should be;
We would not have this awful pain
Which gnaws so constantly. [Refrain]

3 But it is gone beyond our reach,
With all its weight of sin;
And tho’ we mourn too deep for speech,
‘Twill never come again. [Refrain]

4 But God has given us the now,—
The past himself will take;
And if to him in faith we go
He’ll save, for Jesus’ sake. [Refrain]

5 No matter what thy past may be,
Just leave that all with Christ;
He knows it all, yet calleth thee,
And bids thee dare to trust. [Refrain]

Text Information
First Line: The past we never can undo
Title: The Past
Author: Bessie Q. Jordan
Refrain First Line: O Lord, forgive, O Lord, receive
Language: English
Publication Date: 1889
Notes: Public Domain.
Tune Information
Name: [The past we never can undo]
Composer: P. G. Fithian
Notes: Public Domain.



Media
MIDI file: MIDI

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.