GOSPEL >> Consecration
SDAH 318
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul;
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
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Hymn Spotlight: Whiter Than Snow
James Nicholson’s heartfelt plea for holiness was inspired by Psalm 51, David’s prayer of repentance. “Whiter Than Snow” first appeared in Joyful Songs No. 4 (1872) under the title “Holiness Desired,” with its refrain echoing verse 7: “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Born in Ireland in 1828, Nicholson immigrated to the U.S., later settling in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., where he served actively in Sunday school, music ministry, and as a Methodist Episcopal minister. The tune was composed specifically for these words by William Gustavus Fischer, known for his stirring gospel melodies. Together, Nicholson’s prayerful text and Fischer’s earnest tune form a humble song of surrender—a prayer that resonates with every soul longing for a clean heart and renewed spirit.
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Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
James Nicholson wrote these words under the title of “Holiness Desired,” basing them on David’s penitential prayer in Psalm 51; the refrain uses the latter part of verse 7, “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” The hymn first appeared in a 16-page pamphlet, Joyful Songs No. 4, 1872.
Nicholson was born in 1828 in Ireland and emigrated to the United Sates about 22 years later, settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He became active in Sunday school work and evangelism. He moved to Washington, D.C., in 1871, and worked as a postal clerk. He busied himself in church work, teaching singing and leading singing groups. He became a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died on November 6, 1876, in Washing-ton D.C. he also wrote SDAH 515, “The Lord Is My Light.”
The tune, sometimes called WHITER THAN SNOW, was composed in 1872 for these words by William Gustavus Fischer (1835-1912; see SDAH 307). He also composed the unnamed tunes for SDAH 307 to the words “I Am Coming to the Cross,” and SDAH 457 to the words “I Loved to Tell the Story.”
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Text
1
Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul;
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
2
Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies,
And help me to make a complete sacrifice;
I give up myself, and whatever I know;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
3
Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat;
I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet,
By faith, for my cleansing; I see Thy blood flow;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
4
Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait;
Come now, and within me a new heart create;
To those who have sought Thee,
Thou never said’st No;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Hymn Info
Biblical Information
(b) Rom 12:1 (d) Ps 51:10; John 6:37 (r) Ps 51:7
Author
James Nicholson (1828-1876)
Year Published
1872
Metrical Number
11.11.11.11.Ref.
Composer
William G. Fischer (1835-1912)
