Melodious Sonnets ‎#55

55. Until Ye Find

1 Alas! alas! a wayward sheep
Had wandered from the fold,
Far o’er the mountains rough and steep,
Where howling tempests rolled;
The Shepherd, with a burdened mind,
Went forth the missing one to find,
The missing one, far, far away,
The missing one to find.
Go, seek until ye find;
Go, seek until ye find;
The missing one must not be lost,—
Go seek until ye find.

2 He sought with many-a footstep store,
From early morn till night;
Thro’ rocky wastes, where torrents roar,—
App pathways but the right;
Then cried, with sad and burdened mind,
The missing I have failed to find,
The missing one, far, far away,
Alas! I’ve failed to find.
Go, seek until ye find;
Go, seek until ye find;
The missing one must not be lost,—
Go seek until ye find.

3 How long, O Lord, must I still go?
How long search for the sheep?
They’ve wandered far away, I know,—
Discouraged, lo, I weep:
How long thus go, with burdened mind?
“Go,” Jesus saith, “until ye find;”
The missing one must not be lost,—
Go, seek until ye find!
Go, seek until ye find;
Go, seek until ye find;
The missing one must not be lost,—
Go seek until ye find.

4 I’ve sought my friends for many-a day,
Have prayed for man-a year;
Yet, still they wander far away,
O’er mountains dark and drear;
How long thus seek with burdened mind?
“Seek,” Jesus saith, “until ye find;”
The missing one must not be lost,—
“Go, seek until ye find!”
Go, seek until ye find;
Go, seek until ye find;
The missing one must not be lost,—
Go seek until ye find.

5 Lord, at thy word I go again,
Believing I shall find:
I listened, and a low refrain
Came to me on the wind;
Led by the sadly joyful sound
I rushed, and, lo, the lost was found!
Joy! joy! O blessed joy divine!
The lost one I have found.
Joy! joy! the lost is found;
Joy! joy! the lost is found;
The missing one, no longer lost,
The missing one is found.

Text Information

• First Line: Alas! alas! a wayward sheep
• Title: Until Ye Find
• Author: Rev. E. H. Stokes, D. D.
• Refrain First Line: Go, seek until ye find
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1885
• Scripture:
  Luke 15

Tune Information

• Name: [Alas! alas! a wayward sheep]
• Composer: Jno. R. Sweney