One Thing's Needful

1. One thing's need- ful: then, Lord Je- sus, Keep this one thing in my mind; All be- side, though first it please us, Soon a griev- ous yoke we find: Be- neath it the heart is still fret- ting and stri- ving, No true, last- ing happ- i- ness ev- er de- riv- ing. The gain of this one thing all loss can re- quite And teach me in all things to find true de- light.

2. Soul, wilt thou this one thing find thee? Seek not midst cre- a- ted things; What is earth- ly, leave be- hind thee, ov- er na- ture stretch thy wings; For where God and man both in One are u- ni- ted, With God's per- fect full- ness the heart is de- light- ed; There, there is the wor- thi- est lot and the best, My One and my All, and my Joy, and my Rest.

3. How were Mar- y's thoughts de- vot- ed, Her e- ter- nal joy to find, As in- tent each word she not- ed, At her Sa- vior's feet re- clined: How kind- led her heart, how de- vout was its feel- ing, While hear- ing the les- sons that Christ was re- veal- ing; For Je- sus all earth- ly con- cerns she for- got, And all was re- paid in that one hap- py lot.

4. Thus my long- ings, heav'n- ward tend- ing, Je- sus, rest a- lone on Thee; Help me, thus on Thee de- pend- ing, Sa- vior! come and dwell in me: Al- though all the world should for- sake and for- get Thee, In love I will fol- low Thee, ne'er will I quit Thee; For Je- sus, both Spi- rit and life is Thy Word, And is there a joy which Thou dost not af- ford?

5. Wis- dom's high- est nob- lest trea- sure, Je- sus, lies con- ceal'd in Thee; Grant that this may still the meas- ure Of my will and ac- tions be: Hu- mil- i- ty there and sim- pli- ci- ty reign- ing, My steps shall in wis- dom for ev- er be train- ing; Oh! if I of Christ have this know- ledge di- vine, The full- ness of heav- en- ly wis- dom is mine.