In the shelter of the fold
But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold—
Away on the mountains wild and bare,
Away from the tender Shepherd's care.
2. Lord, thou hast here thy ninety and nine.
Are they not enough for thee?
But the Shepherd made answer: ’Tis of mine
Has wandered away from me.
And although the road be rough and steep,
I go to the desert to find my sheep.
3. But none of the ransomed ever knew
How deep were the waters crossed,
Nor how dark was the night the Lord pass’d
Ere he found his sheep that was lost.
Out in the desert he heard its cry—
Sick and helpless and ready to die.
4. “Lord, what are these blood drops all the way
That mark out the mountain’s track?”
“They were shed for the one who’d gone astray
Ere the Shepherd could bring him back.
“Lord, why are these hands so rent and torn?”
“They’re pierced tonight by many a thorn.”
5. But all thru’ the mountains, thunder-riv’n,
And up from the rocky steep,
There rose such a cry to the gate of Heav’n,
“Rejoice, I have found my sheep!”
And the angels echoed around the throne,
“Rejoice, for the Lord brings back his own!”
The hymn “There Were Ninety and Nine” was written by Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane (1830–1869), a Scottish poet and hymnwriter. It was later set to music by Ira D. Sankey, the famous American gospel musician and evangelist.
📜 The Story Behind the Hymn
Elizabeth Clephane wrote the poem "The Ninety and Nine" in 1868, just a year before her death. She was a devout Christian, known for her quiet charity and gentle spirit. Many of her poems were published posthumously in The Children’s Hour, a Scottish religious magazine.
The hymn is based on Jesus' parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15:3–7 and Matthew 18:12–14, where the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep to go and find the one that is lost. The poem reflects Clephane’s deep understanding of Christ’s redemptive love, particularly His willingness to seek and save the lost at great personal cost.
No comments:
Post a Comment