1 Forsaken once, and thrice denied,
the risen Lord gave pardon free,
stood once again at Peter’s side,
and asked him, 'Lovest thou me?'
2 How many times with faithless word
have we denied his holy name,
how oft forsaken our dear Lord,
and shrunk when trial came!
3 Saint Peter, when the cock crew clear,
went out, and wept his broken faith;
strong as a rock through strife and fear,
he served his Lord till death.
4 How oft his cowardice of heart
we have without his love sincere,
the sin without the sorrow’s smart,
the shame without the tear!
5 O oft forsaken, oft denied,
forgive our shame, wash out our sin;
look on us from thy Father’s side
and let that sweet look win.
6 Hear when we call thee from the deep,
still walk beside us on the shore,
give hands to work, and eyes to weep,
and hearts to love thee more.
Source: CPWI Hymnal #783
As a small girl, Cecil Frances Humphries (b. Redcross, County Wicklow, Ireland, 1818; Londonderry, Ireland, 1895) wrote poetry in her school's journal. In 1850 she married Rev. William Alexander, who later became the Anglican primate (chief bishop) of Ireland. She showed her concern for disadvantaged people by traveling many miles each day to visit the sick and the poor, providing food, warm clothes, and medical supplies. She and her sister also founded a school for the deaf. Alexander was strongly influenced by the Oxford Movement and by John Keble's Christian Year. Her first book of poetry, Verses for Seasons, was a "Christian Year" for children. She wrote hymns based on the Apostles' Creed, baptism, the Lord's Supper, the Ten Commandment… Go to person page >
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