I cannot tell why He, whom angels worship

E934
1
I cannot tell why He, whom angels worship,
  Should set His love upon the sons of men,
Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wand'rers,
  To bring them back, they know not how or when.
But this I know, that He was born of Mary,
  When Bethl'hem's manger was His only home,
And that He lived at Nazareth and labored,
  And so the Savior, Savior of the world, is come.
2
I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
  As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
Or how His heart upon the Cross was broken,
  The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, He heals the broken-hearted,
  And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
  For yet the Savior, Savior of the world, is here.
3
I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
  How He will claim His earthly heritage,
How satisfy the needs and aspirations
  Of east and west, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,
  And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendor
  When He the Savior, Savior of the world, is known.
4
I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
  When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,
Or who can say how great the jubilation
  When all the hearts of men with love are filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
  And myriad, myriad human voices sing,
And earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, will answer:
  At last the Savior, Savior of the world, is King.
67
Chris Benson

Champsac, Limousine, France

I can not tell why God has put this song into my head recently. But this I do know that its words being me to tears some times and I know the Spirit is working in me as I sing it. I am blessed. CSB x


Jennifer Leonard

Boston, MA, United States

During the pandemic I have been playing a wooden folk flute, a new-to-me instrument, and found myself playing a fragment of this tune, remembering only a few words... "For this I know.... the savior, savior of the world is come." So I searched online and found this, and love reading these comments to see how many other people found themselves with this song in their hearts. It is perfect for this moment for me.


Elizabeth Burke

Ireland

In the middle of a pandemic lockdown, I have been doing a little research... Just tonight searched online for this hymn after finding an old book and reading in it the story of how the author (Dr. William Young Fullerton) became a Christian on 20th July 1870, aged just 13. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1857. Beautiful hymn!


Very Rev Kofi Owusu

Tema, Ghana

I thank God for this. Woke up this morning singing it. And when I had found the lyrics sang through with tears in my eyes. Thank you God for such an inspiration and thank you author for allowing God to use you to bless me.


Deryck Charles

St. John's, Antigua And Barbuda

This song will forever be my guide whenever am giving prayerful thanks to my Lord. It's very touching, it's heart stirring and of course it's tear shedding. To the writer I say thanks for putting your thoughts into such a heavenly piece of words and music to soothe the flow.

The late Jim Reeves has two songs with this tune; "It's Christmas time again and Oh Danny Boy"


Katie

Taunton, Massachusetts, United States

This is very helpful because I am doing a solo with this song with the piano and I love the accompaniment with the piano for practice so whoever made this thank you.


Ian Pearson

East Hull, East Yorkshire, United Kingdom

We sang this wonderful hymn on Sunday and it was great to sing to. Very moving. I am going ask if we can sing it again on Wednesday at our service. If not I’ll sing it on my own!


Donna Boaldin

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

I have yet to sing this song and not cry. Absolutely love the message/story it tells. Praise be to the ONE who was and is and is to come! The Lord Almighty.


Matthew Lovell

Stowmarket, Suffolk, United Kingdom

This really is a lovely hymn & truly exalts the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorious Person.

Sung to the tune 'Londonderry Air' it is a very moving hymn indeed & I personally cannot sing this hymn without being choked up with emotion at the lovely words in this hymn!

A shame this hymn is not in the hymn book we use at our church but it is in the Christian Hymn Book & in other hymn books I am sure.


Leigh Powell

United Kingdom

This hymn, sung to the same tune as 'o Danny boy', alludes to the gospel in part.

The gospel says all people are sinners who need to be saved from the guilt and punishment of their sin by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we beieve that the Lord Jesus Christ took away our sin on the cross, and that He rose again from the dead, then we shal, be born again and be given everlasting life (Romans chapter 1, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, John 3 verses 3 and 16). And all because of God's love for us guilty sinners.