Lyrics
Verse 1
Jesus, the first and last,
On thee my soul is cast:
Thou didst thy work begin
By blotting out my sin;
Thou wilt the root remove,
And perfect me in love.
Verse 2
Yet when the work is done,
The work is but begun:
Partaker of thy grace,
I long to see thy face;
The first I prove below,
The last I die to know.
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
Jesus, The First And Last is a short hymn that rests the whole soul on Christ from the beginning to the end of the Christian life. The first stanza says the singer's soul is cast on Him, that He began His work by blotting out sin, and that He will remove the root of sin and perfect the singer in love.
The second stanza says that even when the work is done it is only begun, that the singer shares in His grace and longs to see His face, and that the first of these is proved below while the last is learned in death. The phrase in the title echoes Revelation 22:13, where Christ is the first and the last, while Philippians 1:6 speaks of a good work begun and completed, and Revelation 22:4 promises seeing His face. The compact wording and steady rhythm give the hymn a humble, trusting tone that suits private devotion as well as congregational singing.
Related Scripture
- Revelation 22:13 Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.
- Philippians 1:6 God who began a good work will carry it on to completion.
- Revelation 22:4 God's servants will see His face.