The Cyber Hymnal ‎#7708

7708. Whether the Word Be Preached or Read

1. Whether the Word be preached or read,
No saving benefit I gain
From empty sounds or letters dead;
Unprofitable all and vain,
Unless by faith Thy Word I hear
And see its heavenly character.

2. Unmixed with faith, the Scripture gives
No comfort, life, or light to see,
But me in darker darkness leaves,
Implunged in deeper misery,
Overwhelmed with nature’s sorest ills,
The Spirit saves, the letter kills.

3. If God enlighten through His Word,
I shall my kind Enlightener bless;
But void and naked of my Lord,
What are all verbal promises?
Nothing to me, till faith divine
Inspire, inspeak, and make them mine.

4. Jesus, the appropriating grace
’Tis Thine on sinners to bestow.
Open mine eyes to see Thy face,
Open my heart Thyself to know.
And then I through Thy Word obtain
Sure present, and eternal gain.

Text Information

• First Line: Whether the Word be preached or read
• Title: Whether the Word Be Preached or Read
• Author: Charles Wesley (1783)
• Meter: 88.88.88
• Language: English
• Source: MS Spiritual Hymns, 1783
• Copyright: Public Domain
• Notes: Alternate tunes: CAREY'S SURREY, Henry Carey, circa 1732; EISENACH, Johann H. Schein; PATER OMNIUM, Henry J. E. Holmes, 1875

Tune Information

• Name: ST. PETERSBURG
• Composer (attributed to): Dimitri Stepanovich Bortniansky (1825)
• Meter: 88.88.88
• Incipit: 53451 21715 61653
• Key: C Major
• Copyright: Public Domain