Words: Mrs. James Gib­bon John­son, 1887.

Music: .

If you know the au­thor’s full name, or where to get a pho­to of her

As these words were sung at one our meet­ings in Bal­ti­more [Mar­y­land], a man arose and left the build­ing, de­clar­ing that he had ne­ver heard such twad­dle in all his life. When he reached home he tore the hymn out of his hymn-book and threw it in­to the fire; but he said af­ter­ward that the words still rang in his heart and that he could not get rid of them. At last he came to Mr. Moo­dy and said: “I am a vile sin­ner, and I want you to tell me how I can come to Je­sus and be saved.” Moo­dy was en­a­bled to lead him in­to the light, and the man af­ter­ward de­clared that this was the sweet­est hymn in all the book.


O word of words the sweetest,
Oh words, in which there lie
All promise, all fulfillment,
And end of mystery;
Lamenting or rejoicing,
With doubt or terror nigh,
I hear the “Come!” of Jesus,
And to His cross I fly.

Refrain

Come, oh come to Me,
Come, oh come to Me,
Weary, heavy laden,
Come, oh come to Me,
Come, oh come to Me,
Come, oh come to Me,
Weary, heavy laden,
Come, oh come to Me.

O soul! why shouldst thou wander
From such a loving Friend?
Cling closer, closer to Him,
Stay with Him to the end.
Alas! I am so helpless,
So very full of sin,
For I am ever wand’ring,
And coming back again.

Refrain

O, each time draw me nearer,
That soon the “Come” may be
Naught but a gentle whisper,
To one close, close to Thee;
Then, over sea and mountain,
Far from or near my home,
I’ll take Thy hand and follow,
At that sweet whisper “Come!”

Refrain