Jesus, Gentlest Saviour

This is a traditional-style hymn of thanksgiving, often recommended for use after Communion.

It was written by English hymn-writer, theologian, Roman Catholic convert and priest, Fr Frederick William Faber (1814-1863), and first published in his book Oratory Hymns, by Burns & Lambert, London, England in 1854.

With meter 6.5.6.5, tunes it is set to include:

EUCHARISTICUS by John Stainer (1840-1901)
GENTLENESS by Charles T. Ives (1864–1948)
NORTH COATES by Timothy R. Matthews (1826–1910)
EUDOXIA by Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924)
TUFTS by John Wheeler Tufts (1825-1908)
PRINCETHORPE by William Pitts (1829-1903) - organist at the Brompton Oratory.

Originally having 12 verses each with four lines, the hymn has been published in a number variations. There does not seem to be any agreement about which of the many verses written by Fr Faber are now commonly used, what order they are in or how they are combined, eg some versions have 8-line verses.

Downloads

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2-part choir arrangement by Alan MacMillan, based on EUDOXIA

PowerPoint slides

Examples

Boys choir with organ, professional recording

Children's choir with organ, arrangement based on EUDOXIA

Youth choir with string instrument(s?), , tune EUDOXIA

Instrumental - organ, tune EUCHARISTICUS

Instrumental - organ, with words and melody line on screen, tune EUCHARISTICUS

Instrumental - organ, words on-screen, tune PRINCETHORPE

Instrumental, piano, tune EUDOXIA

Instrumental - organ, tune EUDOXIA with words on screen

Lyrics

Traditional language

Jesus, gentlest Saviour,
God of might and power;

Thou Thyself are dwelling

With us at this hour.

Yet the hearts of children
Hold what worlds cannot,
And the God of wonders
Loves the lowly spot.

As men to their gardens
Go to seek sweet flowers,
In our hearts dear Jesus
Seeks them at all hours.

Jesus, gentlest Saviour!
Thou art in us now;
Fill us full of goodness
Till our hearts o’erflow.

Nature cannot hold Thee,
Heav’n is all too strait
For Thine endless glory,
And Thy royal state.

Out beyond the shining
Of the farthest star,
Thou art ever stretching
Infinitely far.

Pray the prayer within us
That to Heav’n shall rise;
Sing the song that angels
Sing above the skies.

Multiply our graces,
Chiefly love and fear,
And, dear Lord, the chiefest,
Grace to persevere.

Oh, how can we thank Thee,
For a gift like this,
Gift that truly maketh
Heav’n’s eternal bliss!

Ah! when wilt Thou always
Make our hearts Thy home?
We must wait for Heaven;
Then the day will come.

Now at least we’ll keep Thee
All the time we may—
But Thy grace and blessing
We will keep alway.