Hymn: Out of My Self

Perhaps I should not like this hymn by William Sleeper, a late 19th Century/early 20th Century American Congregational clergyman, as much as I do. The repeated refrain has a hint of revivalism about it. "Jesus I Come." You expect it to be sung during a protracted alter call. Yet, the contrastive imagery of the hymn grips me. Not centrally is the action, but the beauty of the object of faith in view. My depraved condition is contrasted with Jesus' sufficiency to meet every depravity in kind. Out of my sickness, into Your health. From my ruin to Your peace. From myself to Thee.


Jesus, I Come
by William Sleeper

1. Out of my bondage, sorrow and night,
Jesus, I come; Jesus I come.
Into Thy freedom, gladness and light,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of my sickness into Thy health,
Out of my wanting and into Thy wealth,
Out of my sin and into Thyself,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

2. Out of my shameful failure and loss,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the glorious gain of Thy cross,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of earth’s sorrows into Thy balm,
Out of life’s storms and into Thy calm,
Out of distress into jubilant psalm,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

3. Out of unrest and arrogant pride,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into Thy blessed will to abide,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of myself to dwell in Thy love,
Out of despair into raptures above,
Upward forever on wings like a dove,
Jesus, I come to Thee.

4. Out of the fear and dread of the tomb,
Jesus, I come; Jesus, I come.
Into the joy and light of Thy home,
Jesus, I come to Thee.
Out of the depths of ruin untold,
Into the peace of Thy sheltering fold,
Ever Thy glorious face to behold,
Jesus, I come to Thee.