O KING of men, when thousands thronging,
Gathered to Thee;
The thousand streams in one stream meeting —
The thousand hearts with one throb beating,
Hanging on Thee, hanging on Thee;

No pomp of state that crowd repelling,
All pressed to Thee!
Thou royally the throng addressing,
Divinely calledst each to blessing,
" Hither to Me! hither to Me! "

" With labour worn and heavy laden,
Hither to Me!
The hardest yoke is easy near Me,
With Me is rest for all the weary,
Hither to Me! hither to Me! "

Royal command and God-like promise —
" Hither to Me! "
O words whose links death cannot sever!
O balm for all life's ills for ever! —
" Hither to Me! hither to Me! "

Through nights of sorrow falling softly —
" Hither to Me! "
Earth's thousand noises piercing keenly,
O'er wildest storms they float serenely —
" Hither to Me! hither to Me! "

We hear them still, we hear them ever —
" Hither to Me! "
We hear them daily clearer, dearer,
Drawing us ever higher, nearer —
" Hither to Me! hither to Me! "