O Leave We All for Jesus Lyrics
Author: William Hay Macdowell Hunter Aitken
O leave we all for Jesus! –
The world that fades away,
The flesh with its wild passions,
And Satan’s tyrant sway;
We leave it all for Jesus,
Nor will we count it loss;
For who, the fine gold gaining,
Will grudge to lose the dross?
We leave it all for Jesus!
Earth’s voices filled the air;
Fain had she lured with pleasure,
Or pressed us back with care;
But ‘Hear My voice, daughter,’
The Heavenly Bridegroom cried;
‘Leave also thine own country,
And come and be My Bride.’
I leave it all for Jesus;
He turned and gazed on me:
‘And say,’ I cried, ‘where dwell’st Thou?’
He answered, ‘Come and see!’
I came, and saw, and tarried,
Bound by a mighty spell,
And from that happy moment,
Where Jesus dwells, I dwell.
We leave it all for Jesus;
O Christ! Thy love constrains;
We follow in Thy triumph,
Thou leadest us in chains –
Fetters of grace and mercy –
To Thine own courts above;
Thy chariot-wheels – salvation,
Thy yoke – eternal love.
Farewell, ye fading visions!
Farewell, our native land!
Thy vows, O God! are on us:
Henceforth, a pilgrim band,
We seek our home in Zion,
With Jesus for our guide;
An army of cross-bearers
Led by the Crucified.
Yes, we leave all for Jesus!
And, bending at Thy shrine,
Present our souls and bodies
Henceforward to be Thine;
Oh! seal us with Thy Spirit,
And take us for Thine own;
And Thine are we forever,
Good Lord, and Thine alone!
O Leave We All for Jesus Hymn Story
The author of this hymn, “O leave we all for Jesus” was Reverend Canon W Hay Aitken. He wrote this hymn while serving as Vicar of Christ Church, Everton, Liverpool in England, United Kingdom.
His father Rev. Robert Aitken had sent an urgent call for him to assist him in a mission at Newport. Because he was in the process of preparing for confirmations in his own parish, he naturally was unwilling to go but due to an impassioned call from his father he had no choice but to go.
When he arrived, his father asked him to preach against his own wishes as he felt that his father would do a better job.
At night, the pressure of the work he was doing in Newport and his own confirmees occupied his mind so that he could not sleep.
Such was the burden of the work on his heart that no matter what he tried he could not sleep.
Since he could not sleep, he switched on the lights and composed this hymn to be sung during the confirmations at his own parish in Liverpool.
Below are more hymns’ stories and lyrics: –
Oh Tender and Sweet Was the Master’s Voice
Lord of the Harvest Once Again
