Lyrics
Take the world, but give me Jesus,
All its joys are but a name;
But His love abideth ever,
Through eternal years the same.
Oh, the height and depth of mercy!
Oh, the length and breadth of love!
Oh, the fullness of redemption,
Pledge of endless life above!
Take the world, but give me Jesus,
Sweetest comfort of my soul;
With my Savior watching o'er me,
I can sing though billows roll.
Take the world, but give me Jesus,
Let me view His constant smile;
Then throughout my pilgrim journey
Light will cheer me all the while.
Take the world, but give me Jesus;
In His cross my trust shall be,
Till, with clearer, brighter vision,
Face to face my Lord I see.
Public domain hymn text and tune (published 1879).
The Story Behind the Hymn
"Take the World, But Give Me Jesus" was written by Fanny Crosby in 1879, with music composed the same year by John R. Sweney. The hymn grew directly out of a conversation Crosby had with one of her neighbors, who complained bitterly to her about his poverty, saying that if only he had wealth he could do as he wished and make a proper appearance in the world.
Crosby's reply became the hymn's title: "Well, take the world, but give me Jesus." The line struck her enough, by her own account, that she went on to build a full hymn text out of it — turning an offhand response to a neighbor's complaint into one of her most enduring texts.
Sweney, born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, in 1837, showed musical ability from an early age and began composing church music in 1871, going on to a substantial career in both music education and hymn composition. His setting for Crosby's text became widely adopted; by later counts, the tune has appeared in more than 130 hymnals.
The hymn's structure rests on a repeated contrast: each stanza opens with the same renunciation, "Take the world, but give me Jesus," and then names what is kept instead — comfort in the soul, a constant smile through the pilgrim journey, trust in the cross, and finally the hope of seeing Christ face to face. It is a hymn of trade, offered without regret, naming exactly what is being exchanged and exactly what is judged worth exchanging for.
