Jesus, These Eyes Have Never Seen

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Jesus, these eyes have never seen

Author: Ray Palmer (1858)
Published in 236 hymnals

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Audio files: MIDI

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Representative Text

1 Jesus, these eyes have never seen
that radiant form of thine;
the veil of sense hangs dark between
thy blessèd face and mine.

2 I see thee not, I hear thee not,
yet art thou oft with me;
and earth hath ne'er so dear a spot
as where I meet with thee.

3 Yet, though I have not seen, and still
must rest in faith alone,
I love thee, dearest Lord, and will,
unseen, but not unknown.

4 When death these mortal eyes shall seal,
and still this throbbing heart,
the rending veil shall thee reveal
all glorious as thou art.

Source: Ancient and Modern: hymns and songs for refreshing worship #695

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Author: Ray Palmer

Ray Palmer (b. Little Compton, RI, 1808; d. Newark, NJ, 1887) is often considered to be one of America's best nineteenth-century hymn writers. After completing grammar school he worked in a Boston dry goods store, but a religious awakening prodded him to study for the ministry. He attended Yale College (supporting himself by teaching) and was ordained in 1835. A pastor in Congregational churches in Bath, Maine (1835-1850), and Albany, New York (1850-1865), he also served as secretary of the American Congregational Union (1865-1878). Palmer was a popular preacher and author, writing original poetry as well as translating hymns. He published several volumes of poetry and hymns, including Sabbath Hymn Book (1858), Hymns and Sacred Pieces (1865… Go to person page >

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First Line:	Jesus, these eyes have never seen
Title:	Jesus, These Eyes Have Never Seen
Author:	Ray Palmer (1858)
Meter:	8.6.8.6
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Jesus, these eyes have never seen, p. 877, ii. 17. This reads in Stryker's Church Song, 1889, "These eyes, 0 Jesus, ne'er have seen."

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

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Tune

SAWLEY (Walch)

This tune was composed by James Walch in 1857 for a children's anniversary, and was published in 1860 with other tunes for private circulation. It was wrongly assigned, in the early editions of [The Free Church Hymnal, 1888] to the Rev. F. Pigou. Scottish church music: its sources and composers, 189…

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ST. AGNES (Dykes)

John B. Dykes (PHH 147) composed ST. AGNES for [Jesus the Very Thought of Thee]. Dykes named the tune after a young Roman Christian woman who was martyred in A.D. 304 during the reign of Diocletian. St. Agnes was sentenced to death for refusing to marry a nobleman to whom she said, "I am already eng…

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