1 Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old
Was strong to heal and save;
It triumphed o'er disease and death,
O'er darkness and the grave.
To Thee they went, the blind, the deaf,
The palsied, and the lame,
The leper with his tainted life,
The sick with fevered frame.

2 And lo, Thy touch brought life and health,
Gave speech, and strength, and sight;
And youth renewed and frenzy calmed
Owned Thee, the Lord of light:
And now, O Lord, be near to bless,
Almighty as of yore,
In crowded street, by restless couch,
As by Gennesaret's shore.

3 Though Love and Might no longer heal
By touch, or word, or look;
Though they who do Thy work must read
Thy laws in nature's book;
Yet come to heal the sick man's soul
Come, cleanse the leprous taint;
Give joy and peace where all is strife,
And strength where all is faint.

4 Be Thou our great Deliverer still,
Thou Lord of life and death;
Restore and quicken, soothe and bless,
With thine almighty breath.
To hands that work and eyes that see,
Give wisdom's heavenly lore,
That whole and sick, and weak and strong,
May praise Thee evermore.

Amen.

The Hymnal: Published by the authority of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., 1895

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Matt. 14:35-36
st. 2 = Mark 6:55-56

Edward B. Plumptre (b. Bloomsbury, London, England, 1821; d. Wells, Somersetshire, England, 1891) wrote this text in 1864 during his tenure as chaplain at King's College, London. Considered to be one of the finest on the theme of health and healing, the text was first printed as the leaflet A Hymn Used in the Chapel of King's College Hospital. Published the following year in the second edition of Plumptre's Lazarus and Other Poems, "Your Hands, O Lord" also appeared in the 1868 Appendix to Hymns Ancient and Modern. Originally the text's first line read, 'Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old."

Stanzas 1 and 2a recount the healing miracles of Christ. Stanzas 2b and 3 are a prayer for that same healing power of Christ to be present today.

Plumptre was an eminent classical and biblical scholar who gained prominence in both church and university. Educated at King's College, London, and University College, Oxford, he was ordained in the Church of England in 1846. Plumptre served as a preacher at Oxford and a professor of pastoral theology at King's College, and held a number of other prestigious positions. His writings include A Life of Bishop Ken (1888), translations from Greek and Latin classics, and poetry and hymns. Plumptre was also a member of the committee that produced the Revised Version of the Bible.

Liturgical Use:
Latter part of the Epiphany season; Lent; worship services that focus on Christ's miracles of healing; at healing services or prayer services for the sick.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook