THE NINETY AND NINE
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 altho' the road
be rough and steep,
I go to the desert
to find my sheep." (2 times)
3. But none of the
ransomed ever knew
How deep were the
waters crossed;
Nor how dark was
the night that the Lord passed thro'
Ere He found His
sheep that was lost.
Out in the desert
He heard its cry-
Sick and helpless,
and ready to die! (2 times)
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're
pierced tonight by many a thorn."(2 times)
5. But all thro'
the mountains, thunder-riv'n,
And up from the
rocky steep,
There arose a glad
cry to the gate of heav'n,
"Rejoice! I
have found my sheep!"
And the angels
echoed around the throne,
"Rejoice, for
the Lord brings back His own."(2 times)
|
|
