Lyrics
Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Savior of mankind!
O Hope of every contrite heart,
O Joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!
But what to those who find?
Ah, this Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.
O Jesus, Light of all below,
Thou Fount of living fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know,
And all we can desire.
Thee, Jesus, may our voices bless,
Thee may we love alone,
And ever in our lives express
The image of Thine own.
O most sweet Jesus, hear the sighs
Which unto Thee we send;
To Thee our inmost spirit cries;
To Thee our souls ascend.
Abide with us, and let Thy light Shine,
Lord, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night;
And joy to us impart.
Jesus, our love and joy to Thee,
The virgin's holy Son,
All might and praise and glory be,
While endless ages run.
Song History & Meaning
Composer / Hymnodist: Bernard of Clairvaux
Simply holding the name of Jesus in our minds brings a gentle, profound peace to our weary hearts. While thinking of His goodness fills us with sweetness today, we hold a deeper longing to one day behold His face in glory. He is the ultimate comfort for every searching soul and the true joy of the humble. Today, take a quiet moment to rest in His presence and let the beauty of His name quiet every anxiety within you.
📖 Related Scripture Passages:
- Psalm 16:11: “You show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”
- Philippians 2:9-11: “Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
- Psalm 63:1-3: “God, you are my God. I will earnestly seek you. My soul thirsts for you, my flesh longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have seen you in the sanctuary, watching your power and your glory. Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.”