You help make Hymnary.org possible. More than 10 million people from 200+ countries found hymns, liturgical resources and encouragement on Hymnary.org in 2025, including you. Every visit affirms the global impact of this ministry.

If Hymnary has been meaningful to you this year, would you take a moment today to help sustain it? A gift of any size—paired with a note of encouragement if you wish—directly supports the server costs, research work and curation that keep this resource freely available to the world.

Give securely online today, or mail a check to:
Hymnary.org
Calvin University
3201 Burton Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Thank you for your partnership, and may the hope of Advent fill your heart.

Search Results

Text Identifier:"^o_jesus_i_have_promised$"

Planning worship? Check out our sister site, ZeteoSearch.org, for 20+ additional resources related to your search.

Texts

text icon
Text authorities
TextFlexScoreFlexPresentAudio

O Jesus, I Have Promised

Author: John E. Bode Meter: 13.13.13.13 Appears in 652 hymnals First Line: O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end Lyrics: 1. O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end; Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend; I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side, Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my Guide. 2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking in accents clear and still, I dare not trust my judgment: Thy way shall be my will; Oh, speak to reassure me, to hasten or control; Oh, speak, and help me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul. 3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee That where Thou art in glory there shall Thy servant be; And Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end— Oh, give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend. 4. Oh, let me see Thy footprints, and in them plant mine own; My hope to follow duly is in Thy strength alone; Oh, guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end; And then in Heav'n receive me, my Savior and my Friend. Topics: Supplication Scripture: Psalm 119:57 Used With Tune: ANGEL'S STORY Text Sources: Timeless Truths (http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/O_Jesus_I_Have_Promised); The Cyber Hymnal (http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/o/j/ojihprom.htm)

Tunes

tune icon
Tune authorities
FlexScoreAudio

NYLAND

Meter: 7.6.7.6.7.6.7.6 Appears in 88 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: David Evans Tune Sources: Finnish folk melody Tune Key: E Flat Major Incipit: 53212 16555 65435 Used With Text: O Jesus, I Have Promised
Page scansFlexScoreAudio

ANGEL'S STORY

Meter: 7.6.7.6 D Appears in 401 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: Arthur H. Mann Tune Key: F Major Incipit: 33321 17544 32325 Used With Text: O Jesus, I Have Promised
FlexScoreAudio

WOLVERCOTE

Meter: 7.6.7.6.7.6.7.6 Appears in 42 hymnals Composer and/or Arranger: William Harold Ferguson (1872-1950) Tune Key: A Major Incipit: 51432 31653 45321 Used With Text: O Jesus, I have promised

Instances

instance icon
Published text-tune combinations (hymns) from specific hymnals
Text

O Jesus, I Have Promised

Author: John E. Bode Hymnal: Praise and Worship #42 (1951) Lyrics: 1 O Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end. Be Thou forever near me, My Master and my Friend. I shall not fear the battle If Thou art by my side, Nor wander from the pathway If Thou wilt be my Guide. 2 Oh, let me feel Thee near me The world is ever near; I see the sights that dazzle, The tempting sounds I hear. My foes are ever near me, Around me and within. But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer, And shield my soul from sin. 3 O Jesus, Thou hast promised To all who follow Thee That where Thou art in glory There shall Thy servant be; And Jesus, I have promised To serve the to the end. Oh, give me grace to follow, My Master and my Friend. Topics: Assurance Languages: English Tune Title: [O Jesus, I have promised]
TextPage scan

O Jesus, I Have Promised

Author: John E. Bode Hymnal: Praise and Worship #42 (1978) Lyrics: 1 O Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end. Be Thou forever near me, My Master and my Friend. I shall not fear the battle If Thou art by my side, Nor wander from the pathway If Thou wilt be my Guide. 2 Oh, let me feel Thee near me The world is ever near; I see the sights that dazzle, The tempting sounds I hear. My foes are ever near me, Around me and within. But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer, And shield my soul from sin. 3 O Jesus, Thou hast promised To all who follow Thee That where Thou art in glory There shall Thy servant be; And Jesus, I have promised To serve the to the end. Oh, give me grace to follow, My Master and my Friend. Topics: Assurance Languages: English Tune Title: [O Jesus, I have promised]
Text

O Jesus, I Have Promised

Author: John E. Bode Hymnal: Hymns of Faith #168 (1980) Lyrics: 1 O Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end; Be Thou forever near me, My Master and my Friend: I shall not fear the battle If Thou art by my side, Nor wander from the pathway If Thou wilt be my guide. 2 O let me feel Thee near me, The world is ever near; I see the sights that dazzle, The tempting sounds I hear: My foes are ever near me, Around me and within; But Jesus, draw Thou nearer, And shield my soul from sin. 3 O Jesus, Thou hast promised To all who follow Thee, That where Thou art in glory There shall Thy servant be; And, Jesus, I have promised To serve Thee to the end; O give me grace to follow, My Master and my Friend. Amen. Topics: Prayer Hymns of; Warfare, Christian; Wedding; Prayer Hymns of; Warfare, Christian; Wedding Scripture: Luke 9:57 Languages: English Tune Title: [O Jesus, I have promised]

People

person icon
Authors, composers, editors, etc.

John Ernest Bode

1816 - 1874 Person Name: John E. Bode Author of "O Jesus, I Have Promised" in Timeless Truths John E. Bode (b. St. Pancras, England, 1816; d. Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire, England, 1874) A fine student at Christ Church, Oxford, England, and a prominent scholar who gave the famous Bampton Lectures ("for the exposition and defense of the Christian faith") at Oxford in 1855, was a rector in Westwell, Oxfordshire, and in Castle Camps. This gifted poet and hymn writer published Hymns for the Gospel of the Day, for Each Sunday and Festivals of Our Lord in 1860. Bert Polman ============== Bode, John Ernest, M.A., son of Mr. William Bode, late of the General Post Office, b. 1816, and educated at Eton, the Charter House, and at Christ Church, Oxford, graduating B.A. 1837, and M.A. in due course. Taking Holy Orders in 1841, he became Rector of Westwell, Oxfordshire, 1847; and then of Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire, 1860. He was also for a time Tutor of his College, and Classical Examiner. His Bampton Lectures were delivered in 1855. He d. at Castle Camps, Oct. 6, 1874. In addition to his Bampton Lectures, and Ballads from Herodotus, he published Hymns from the Gospel of the Day for each Sunday and Festivals of our Lord, 1860; and Short Occasional Poems, Lond., Longmans, 1858. In addition to his well-known hymn, “O Jesu, I have promised " (q. v.), the following from his Hys. from the Gospel are also in common use:— 1. God of heaven, enthroned in might. H. Trinity. 2. Spirit of Truth, indwelling Light. Whitsuntide. -John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================= Bode, John E. , p. 151, ii. Additional pieces from his Hys.from the Gospel of the Day, &c, 1800, are in common use :— (1) "Sweetly the Sabbath bell" (Sunday); (2) "Thou Who hast called us by Thy word" (20th S. after Trinity). --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

Juan Bautista Cabrera Ivars

1837 - 1916 Person Name: Juan Bautista Cabrera, 1837-1916 Translator of "O Jesus, I Have Promised (Jesús, yo he prometido)" in Santo, Santo, Santo Juan Bautista Cabrera Ivars was born in Benisa, Spain, April 23, 1837. He attended seminary in Valencia, studying Hebrew and Greek, and was ordained as a priest. He fled to Gibraltar in 1863 due to religious persecution where he abandoned Catholicism. He worked as a teacher and as a translator. One of the works he translated was E.H. Brown's work on the thirty-nine articles of the Anglican Church, which was his introduction to Protestantism. He was a leader of a Spanish Reformed Church in Gibraltar. He continued as a leader in this church when he returned to Spain after the government of Isabel II fell, but continued to face legal difficulties. He then organized the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church and was consecrated as bishop in 1894. He recognized the influence of music and literature on evangelism which led him to write and translate hymns. Dianne Shapiro, from Real Academia de la Historia (https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/39825/juan-bautista-cabrera-ivars) and Himnos Cristanos (https://www.himnos-cristianos.com/biografia-juan-bautista-cabrera/) (accessed 7/30/2021)

David Evans

1874 - 1948 Adapter and Harmonizer of "NYLAND" in The Presbyterian Hymnal David Evans (b. Resolven, Glamorganshire, Wales, 1874; d. Rosllannerchrugog, Denbighshire, Wales, 1948) was an important leader in Welsh church music. Educated at Arnold College, Swansea, and at University College, Cardiff, he received a doctorate in music from Oxford University. His longest professional post was as professor of music at University College in Cardiff (1903-1939), where he organized a large music department. He was also a well-known and respected judge at Welsh hymn-singing festivals and a composer of many orchestral and choral works, anthems, service music, and hymn tunes. Bert Polman
It looks like you are using an ad-blocker. Ad revenue helps keep us running. Please consider white-listing Hymnary.org or getting Hymnary Pro to eliminate ads entirely and help support Hymnary.org.