The Sinner's Only Hope

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Wherewith O Lord, shall I draw near

Author: Charles Wesley
Published in 96 hymnals

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Representative Text

1 Wherewith, O Lord, shall I draw near,
Or bow myself before thy face?
How in thy purer eyes appear?
What shall I bring to gain thy grace?

2 Will gifts delight the Lord most high?
Will multiply'd oblations please?
Thousands of rams his favor buy,
Or slaughter'd hecatombs appease?

3 Can these assuage the wrath of God?
Can these wash out my guilty stain?
Rives of oil, or seas of blood,
Alas! they all must flow in vain.

4 Guilty, I stand before thy face;
My sole desert is hell and wrath;
'Twere just the sentence should take place;
But Oh, I plead my Saviour's death!

5 I plead the merits of thy son
Who dy'd for sinners on the tree;
I plead his righteousness alone,
O put the spotless robe on me.

Source: The Hartford Selection of Hymns: from the most approved authors: to which are added a number never before published (2nd ed.) #LXII

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Author: Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

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First Line:	Wherewith O Lord, shall I draw near
Title:	The Sinner's Only Hope
Author:	Charles Wesley
Meter:	8.8.8.8
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Wherewith, O God, shall I draw near? C.Wesley. [Lent.] First published in the Hymns & Sacred Poems, 1739, p. 88, in 13 stanzas of 4 lines, and based on Micah vi. 6, &c. (Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. i. p. 276). It is given in centos in the hymn-books as follows:—
1. Wherewith, 0 God, shall I draw near! In the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 123, and several modern collections. It is composed of 10 stanzas, stanzas iv., vii. and xi. being omitted.
2. Wherewith, 0 Lord, shall I draw near? In A. M. Toplady's Psalms & Hymns, 1776, No. 47, and later hymn-books in the Church of England. It embodies stanzas i.-iii., viii.-xiii. slightly altered.
3. Jesus, the Lamb of God, hath bled. In several modern collections. It begins with stanza x.; but the choice of stanzas varies.
4. See, where before the throne He stands. Usually composed of stanzas xii., xiii.