One Thing’s Needful (EN 3846)

1

One thing’s needful; Lord this treasure

Teach me highly to regard;

All else, though it first give pleasure,

Is a yoke that presses hard.

Beneath it the heart is still fretting and striving,

No true, lasting happiness ever deriving.

The gain of this one thing all loss can requite

And teach me in all things to find true delight.

2

Wilt thou find this one thing needful,

Turn from all created things

Unto Jesus and be heedful

Of the blessed joy He brings.

For where God and Man both in one are united,

With God’s perfect fulness the heart is delighted;

There, there is the worthiest lot and the best,

My One and my All and my Joy and my Rest.

3

How were Mary’s thoughts devoted,

Her eternal joy to find

As intent each word she noted,

At her Savior’s feet reclined!

How kindled her heart, how devout was its feeling,

While hearing the lessons that Christ was revealing!

For Jesus all earthly concerns she forgot,

And all was repaid in that one happy lot.

4

Thus my longings, heav’nward tending,

Jesus, rest alone on Thee.

Help me, thus on Thee depending;

Savior, come and dwell in me.

Although all the world should forsake and forget Thee,

In love I will follow Thee, ne’er will I quit Thee.

Lord Jesus, both spirit and life is Thy Word;

And is there a joy which Thou dost not afford?

5

Wisdom’s highest, noblest treasure,

Jesus, lies concealed in Thee;

Grant that this may still the measure

Of my will and actions be,

Humility there and simplicity reigning,

In paths of true wisdom my steps ever training.

Oh, if I of Christ have this knowledge divine,

The fulness of heavenly wisdom is mine.

6

Naught have I, O Christ, to offer

Naught but Thee, my highest Good.

Naught have I, O Lord, to proffer

But Thy crimson-colored blood.

Thy death on the cross hath Death wholly defeated

And thereby my righteousness fully completed;

Salvation’s white raiments I there did obtain,

And in them in glory with Thee I shall reign.

7

Therefore Thou alone, my Savior,

Shalt be All in all to me;

Search my heart and my behavior,

Root out all hypocrisy.

Restrain me from wandering on pathways unholy

And through all life’s pilgrimage keep my heart lowly.

This one thing is needful, all others are vain;

I count all but loss that I Christ may obtain.