The Evergreen ‎#82

82. He Had Not Where To Lay His Head

1 Ye whom the world esteemeth great,
Who, pillowed on a couch of state,
May close, at fall of night, the eye
Beneath a gorgeous canopy,
Remember how the Saviour came
To bear our load of sin and shame.
The birds of earth, the fowls of air,
A quiet resting-place may share,
But when the shades of night were spread,
He had not where to lay his head.

2 When moonlight slept upon the sea,
He sought thy shores, O Galilee!
When loud the winds and billows raved,
Tiberias, thy storms he braved.
The dewdrops gemmed the mountains where
The Saviour bowed all night in prayer;
At eve the suff'rer's tears flowed free,
Amid thy bowers, Gethsemane!
And Calvary marked his life-blood shed;
He had not where to lay his head.

3 If thus, O suffering Son of God,
In meekness thou this earth hast trod,
In grief, in shame, in sorrow's pow'r,
When clouds around our path shall lower:
If care, if suffering should be
Our lot, we'll meekly bow like thee,
Content thy lot below to share,
May we as thou our burdens bear,
Rejoicing In thy path to tread,
Who hadst not where to lay thy head.

Text Information

• First Line: Ye whom the world esteemeth great
• Title: He Had Not Where To Lay His Head
• Author: E. G. Barber
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1873
• Notes: Public Domain.

Tune Information

• Name: [Ye whom the world esteemeth great]
• Composer: Wm. T. Rogers
• Incipit: 51321 12215 72177
• Key: G Major or modal
• Notes: Public Domain.