How beauteous were the marks divine

1
How beauteous were the marks divine,
That in Thy meekness used to shine,
That lit Thy lonely pathway, trod
In wondrous love, O Son of God!
2
O who like Thee, so mild, so bright,
Thou Son of man, Thou Light of light?
O who like Thee did ever go
So patient, through a world of woe?
3
O who like Thee so humbly bore
The scorn, the scoffs of men, before?
So meek, so lowly, yet so high,
So glorious in humility?
4
And death, that sets the prisoner free,
Was pang, and scoff, and scorn to Thee;
Yet love through all Thy torture glowed,
And mercy with Thy life-blood flowed.
5
O wondrous Lord, my soul would be
Still more and more conformed to Thee,
And learn of Thee, the lowly One,
And like Thee, all my journey run.
4
John Maxham

Edison, NJ, United States

Thanks Steve for the helpful information. Powerful words that describe our blessed Lord Jesus, who taught in word and action "blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."


Steve Miller

Detroit, MI, United States

One of the most distinguished of American prelates, and son of an eminent Presbyterian minister, the Rev. Samuel H. Cox, D.D., was born at Mendham, New Jersey, May 10,1818. Graduating at the University of New York in 1838, and taking Holy Orders in 1841, he became Rector of St. John's, Hartford, Connecticut, in the following year. In 1851 he visited England, and on his return was elected Rector of Grace Church, Baltimore, 1854, and Calvary, New York, 1863. His consecration as Bishop of the Western Diocese of New York took place in 1865. His residence is at Buffalo. Coxe is the author of numerous works. His poetical works were mostly written in early life, Some of Coxe's hymns are found in the collections of every religious body in America, except the official collections of his own. This is accounted for by his too scrupulous modesty. As a member of the Hymnal Committee, in 1869-71, he refused to permit the insertion of his own lyrics. - Dictionary of Hymnology by John Julian 1907


Steve Miller

Detroit, MI, United States

The original stanza 2, 1st 2 lines say:

2 Oh who like thee, so calm, so bright,

So pure, so made to live in light?

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The original stanza 3, line 3 says:

So meek, forgiving, Godlike, high,

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There is an additional stanza 4 following stanza 3 above:

4 And all thy life's unchanging years,

A man of sorrows and of tears,

The cross, where all our sins were laid,

Upon thy bending shoulders weighed.

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There is an additional stanza which is sometimes given as the last stanza instead of stanza 5 above:

O in thy light be mine to go,

Illuming all this way of woe;

And give me ever on the road

To trace thy footsteps, Son of God!


Rose Kelly

Brooklyn, New York, USA

I love the hymn music

Piano Hymns