Behold how good a thing
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1
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Behold how good a thing It is to dwell in peace; How pleasing to our King, This fruit of righteousness; When brethren all in one agree, They know the joy of unity! |
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2
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When all are sweetly joined (True followers of the Lamb), They’re one in heart and mind, They think and speak the same; When all in love together dwell; The comfort is unspeakable! |
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3
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Where unity takes place, The joys of heav’n we prove; This is the gospel grace, The unction from above; The Spirit on all saints is shed, Descending swift from Christ the Head. |
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4
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Where unity is found, The sweet anointing grace Extends to all around, And shines from every face; To every praising saint it comes, And fills him with divine perfumes. |
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5
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On all His chosen ones The precious oil comes down: Anointing as it runs, Anointing on and on. E’en to His skirts (the meanest name That longs to love the bleeding Lamb). |
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6
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From Aaron’s beard it rolls, (Those nearest to His face), The humble, trembling souls Who know abundant grace; The grace, the grace for all is free, For, lo, it reaches now to me! |
| (Repeat the last line of each stanza) | |
1
Detroit, Michigan, United States
This hymn is written by Charles Wesley in 1743 and has more verses:
stanza 1: last line originally says "who knows the joys of unity!
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stanza 2 slightly different in original:
When all are sweetly join'd
(True followers of the Lamb,
The same in heart and mind, )
and think and speak the same,
and all in love together dwell;
the comfort is unspeakable.
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stanza 3 line 5 originally said "believers" instead of "saints is". "saints is" fits the meter better.
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stanza 4 lines 4-6 are different:
And overspreads the place;
to every waiting soul it comes,
and fills it with divine perfumes.
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stanza 4a usually omitted:
Jesus, our great High Priest,
for us the Gift received,
for us, and all the rest,
who have in Him believed;
forth from our Head the blessing goes,
and all His seamless coat o'erflows.
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stanza 5 lines 3-4 originally are:
It runs, and as it runs,
it ever will run on,
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stanza 6 lines 4-5 are different:
who feebly sue for grace:
I know the grace for all is free,
for lo! it reaches now to me.
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stanza 7 :
7 Grace every morning new,
And every night we feel
The soft, refreshing dew,
That falls on Hermon’s hill;
On Zion it doth sweetly fall:
The grace of one descends on all.
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8 E’en now our Lord doth pour
The blessing from above,
A kindly, gracious shower
Of heart-reviving love,
The former and the latter rain,
The love of God, and love of man.
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9 In Him when brethren join,
And follow after peace,
The fellowship divine
He promises to bless,
His chiefest graces to bestow,
Where two or three are met below.
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10 The riches of His grace
In fellowship are giv’n
To Zion’s chosen race,
The citizens of Heav’n;
He fills them with His choicest store,
He gives them life for evermore.