What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.
About this Hymn
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is a Christian hymn originally written by Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. Scriven originally published the poem anonymously, and only received full credit for it in the 1880s. The tune to the hymn was composed by Charles Crozat Converse in 1868. William Bolcom composed a setting of the hymn. The hymn also has many versions with different lyrics in multiple languages, such as the Japanese version "Itsukushimi Fukaki" (いつくしみ深き, lit. "Deep Affection"), or a version sung during World War I with the line "When this bloody war is over" in place of the original title. The Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal notes, "In spite of the fact that this hymn, with its tune, has been criticized as being too much on the order of the sentimental gospel type, its popularity remains strong, and the hymn retains a place in modern hymnals." Aretha Franklin recorded the song for her album Amazing Grace (1972) and Ronnie Milsap for his album Then Sings My Soul (2009).
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-FIRST_STATION_Jesus_is_condemned_to_death.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-SECOND_STATION_Jesus_takes_up_his_Cross.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-THIRD_STATION_Jesus_falls_for_the_first_time.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-FOURTH_STATION_Jesus_meets_his_Mother.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-FIFTH_STATION_Jesus_is_helped_by_Simon_the_Cyrene_to_carry_his_Cross.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-SIXTH_STATION_Veronica_wipes_the_face_of_Jesus.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-SEVENTH_STATION_Jesus_falls_for_the_second_time.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-EIGHTH_STATION_Jesus_meets_the_women_of_Jerusalem.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-NINTH_STATION_Jesus_falls_for_the_third_time.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-TENTH_STATION_Jesus_is_stripped_of_his_garments.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-ELEVENTH_STATION_Jesus_is_nailed_to_the_Cross.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-TWELFTH_STATION_Jesus_dies_on_the_Cross.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-THIRTEENTH_STATION_Jesus_is_taken_down_from_the_Cross_and_given_to_his_Mother.jpg)
![By Tango7174 (Tango7174) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](stations-of-the-cross/800px-FOURTEENTH_STATION_Jesus_is_laid_in_the_tomb.jpg)
