A Lost and Sinful World to Save

Alternate Title: The Man of Sorrows

For Christmas-tide

Words: Robert Kaye Greville (1794-1866)

Music: Not Known

Source: The Book of Christmas Hymns (London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1868), pp. 23-24.
Originally found in The Church of England Hymn-book, 1838.

A lost and sinful world to save,
In human form the Saviour came:
He laid His glory by,
To bear our sin and shame:
A King – He left for us His Father's throne:
He came – and was rejected by His own!

A Man of sorrows and of grief –
Homeless – in humble garb arrayed;
A world's iniquity
Was on His shoulders laid.
Despised and poor – He boundless riches gave;
Stricken – He came omnipotent to save.

But oh, to us how beautiful
The feet of Him, the Holy One,
Herald of endless Peace
To all beneath the Sun!
Himself how bruised – He heals the sinner's pain;
Nailed to the cross – He bursts the sinner's chain!

Then be it ours to raise the song, –
The incense of the heart to heaven!
Lord, let our daily praise
To Thy great name be given.
In this frail scene, be Thine our trust, our love;
Poor pilgrims here, we seek a home above.

Note:

Authorship is sometimes attributed to “Greville” or “R. K. G.” This is Robert Kaye Greville (1794-1866), co-editor with Rev. D. T. K. Drummond of The Church of England Hymn-book, Edinburgh, 1838, to which he contributed 9 hymns, including this one.

Greville, Robert Kaye, M.D., was eldest b. of Rev. Robert Greville, rector of Edlaston, Derbyshire, and was b. at Bishop Auckland in 1794. He studied medicine at Edinburgh and London, and finally settled, though he did not practise, in Edinburgh. He was a distinguished botanist, and a well-known philanthropist. He edited and contributed to a number of the current annuals from 1830 to 1850.

He was a member of the congregation of the Rev. D. T. K. Drummond, and joint editor with him on The Church of England Hymn-book, 1838, contributing thereto 9 hymns. He died at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, June 4, 1866 (Miller's Singers & Songs, p. 438). [See Scottish Hymnody, § vi.] His hymns, dating from the collection of 1838, are:—

1. A little while and every fear. Death anticipated.

2. A lost and sinful world to save. Christmas.

3. Before Thy throne in fetters bound. Temperance.

4. God of the world, we praise Thy name. Temperance

5. O Ancient of eternal days. Praise to the Father.

6. O God, the Judge of nations, hear. National Fast,

7. O God, we come before Thee. Happiness desired.

8. While still Thy all-creative hand. God's Faithfulness.

9. Ye humble souls in sorrow bending. Burial.

Source: John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, (1892, 1907).

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