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Believers Hymn Book · No. 387 · Words: Horatius Bonar · Tune: Hesperus St. Bartholomew
Go, labour on; spend, and be spent;
Create PowerPoint slides from this hymn →Written in 1843 by Scottish minister and hymn-writer Horatius Bonar, this hymn calls Christians to faithful, persevering service in God's work despite earthly hardship and lack of human recognition, drawing on the example of Christ's own path of self-giving.
Verse 1
Go, labour on; spend, and be spent;
Thy joy to do the Father's will;
It is the way the Master went,
Should not the servant tread it still?
Verse 2
Go, labour on, 'tis not for naught;
Thy earthly loss is heavenly gain;
Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee, not;
The Master praises—what are men?
Verse 3
Go, labour on while it is day,
The world's dark night is hastening on;
Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away,
It is not thus that souls are won.
Verse 4
Toil on, faint not, keep watch and pray;
Be wise the erring soul to win;
Go forth into the world's highway,
Compel the wanderer to come in.
Verse 5
Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice;
For toil comes rest, for exile, home;
Soon shalt thou hear the Bridegroom's voice,
The midnight cry, Behold, I come!
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