1 There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold,
But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold–
Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender Shepherd’s care,
Away from the tender Shepherd’s care.
2 "Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine;
Are they not enough for Thee?"
But the Shepherd made answer: "This of mine
Has wandered away from me;
And although the road be rough and steep,
I go to the desert to find my sheep,
I go to the desert to find my sheep."
3 But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed;
Nor how dark was the night the Lord passed thro'
Ere He found His sheep that was lost.
Out in the desert He heard its cry–
So sick and helpless and ready to die;
So sick and helpless and ready to die.
4 "Lord, whence are those blood-drops all the way
That mark out the mountain’s track?"
"They were shed for one who had gone astray
Ere the Shepherd could bring him back."
"Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent and torn?"
"They are pierced tonight by many a thorn,
They are pierced tonight by many a thorn."
5 And all through the mountains, thunder-riven,
And up from the rocky steep,
There arose a glad cry to the gate of heaven,
"Rejoice! I have found my sheep!"
And the angels echoed around the throne,
"Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own,
Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!"
Elizathe C. Clephane
The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition
<idle musing>
I don't recall ever singing this hymn—and it doesn't appear to be very common, appearing in only about 360 hymnals. But I do like the words—it speaks to the love that the Savior has for the "least of these." That an important thing to remember in our "get-ahead-at-all-costs" world. It's the least and last of these that will be first, as the Magnificat so wonderfully says, and examples could be multiplied from scripture.
</idle musing>
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