Return O Wanderer to Thy Home Lyrics
Author: Thomas Hastings (1831)
1 Return, O wanderer, to thy home,
Thy Father calls for thee;
No longer now an exile roam
In guilt and misery.
2 Return, O wanderer, to thy home,
‘Tis Jesus calls for thee:
The Spirit and the Bride say, Come;
O, now for refuge flee.
3 Return, O wanderer, to thy home,
‘Tis madness to delay;
There are no pardons in the tomb,
And brief is mercy’s day.
Return O Wanderer to Thy Home
Return O Wanderer to Thy Home is a hymn that was composed by Thomas Hastings in 1831. While other people can be composers but not musicians, Hastings was both.
And in fact, he composed more hymns than any other American hymn writer. Today’s hymn is probably the most loved hymn ever composed by this prolific hymn writer.
Hastings wrote this hymn after hearing a sermon on the Prodigal son preached by a Rev. Kint. According to Hastings the preacher finished the sermon by appealing to the congregation with great tenderness, exclaiming, “sinner, come home! come home!”.
He said, “It was easy afterwards to write, ‘Return, O Wanderer’.
Below are some more posts on hymns’ stories and lyrics:
Lord I Hear of Showers of Blessing
Lo! Round the Throne at God’s Right Hand
