GOSPEL >> INVITATION
SDAH 279
Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest,
By trusting in His word.
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For Worship Leaders
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Hymn Spotlight: Only Trust Him
John Hart Stockton wrote both words and music of this simple gospel invitation in 1874. Ira D. Sankey later adapted the refrain into its more familiar form: “Only trust Him.” The message of the hymn is rooted in Psalm 52:8 and speaks of forgiveness and mercy to those who trust in Christ. Named STOCKTON after its composer, the melody’s pentatonic shape gives it an accessible and heartfelt charm. May this hymn lead us to place full confidence in Jesus.
📖 Reference: Feel free to share but please cite hymnsforworship.org when reproducing.
Introductions for Sabbath School Song Service (based on specific lesson quarterlies):
Both words and music of this gospel song were written by John Hart Stockton (1813-1877; see SDAH 254), of New Hope, Pennsylvania. It was published in five stanzas in his Salvation Melodies, 1874. The refrain originally began with the words “Come to Jesus” used three times, but Ira D. Sankey changed them to “Only trust Him” as given in his Sacred Songs and Solos, 1875.
The message of the hymn is the simple one of forgiveness to those who have faith and trust in Christ. The main Scripture allusion is to Psalm 52:8: “I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.”
Ira D. Sankey (see Biographies) found the hymn in his scrapbook, liked it, and used it, giving the name STOCKTON to the tune. The melody is in the pentatonic scale, i.e., an octave lacking the fourth and seventh notes.
📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.
Stanza:
1 – Psalm 52:8
2 – Isaiah 1:18
3 – John 14:6
R – Psalm 37:3
Text
1
Come, every soul by sin oppressed,
There’s mercy with the Lord,
And He will surely give you rest,
By trusting in His word.
Refrain
Only trust Him, only trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.
2
For Jesus shed his precious blood
Rich blessings to bestow;
Plunge now into the crimson flood
That washes white as snow.
3
Yes, Jesus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him without delay,
And you are fully blest.
4
Come, then, and join this holy band,
And on to glory go,
To dwell in that celestial land,
Where joys immortal flow.
Hymn Info
Biblical Information
(a) Ps 52:8 (b) Isa 1:18 (c) John 14:6 (r) Ps 37:3
Author
J.H. Stockton (1813-1877)
Metrical Number
C.M. Ref.
Composer
J.H. Stockton
