2 Sam. xv.19-22; John xii.26

"Wherefore goest thou with me?"

Said the king disowned --

Said the king despised, rejected,

Disenthroned.

"Go, return unto thy place,

To thy king of yore --

Here a pilgrim and a stranger,

Nothing more.

"Not for thee the cities fair,

Hills of corn and wine --

All was portioned ere thou camest,

Nought is thine.

"Wandering forth where'er I may,

Exiled from mine own,

Shame, rejection I can grant thee;

That alone.

"Turn and take thy brethren back,

With thy people dwell;

I have loved thee, I, the outcast;

Fare thee well."

Then unto the crownless king

On the Kedron's shore,

All the wilderness before him,

Ittai swore,

"As the Lord lives and the king,

Ever lord to me,

Where in death or life he dwelleth

I will be."

"Go -- pass over;" spake the king;

Then passed Ittai o'er;

Passed into the place of exile

From the shore.

He and all his little ones,

Granted by that word,

Shame, rejection, homeless wandering

With their lord.

"Go -- pass over;" words of grace,

Spoken, Lord, to me,

That, in death or life, where Thou art

I might be.

Dead and crucified with Thee,

Passed beyond my doom;

Sin and law for ever silenced

In Thy tomb.

Passed beyond the mighty curse,

Dead, from sin set free;

Not for Thee earth's joy and music,

Not for me.

Dead; the sinner past and gone,

Not the sin alone;

Living, where Thou art in glory,

On the throne.

Hidden there with Christ in God,

That blest life I share;

Christ it is who liveth in me --

Liveth there.

"He who serves Me," spake His lips,

"Let him follow Me,

And where I am shall My servant

Ever be."

Follow, where His steps lead on,

Through the golden street;

Far into the depths of glory

Track His feet.

Till unto the throne of God,

Of the Lamb, I come;

There to share the blessed welcome,

Welcome home!

There with Him whom man rejected

In the light above,

Those whom God His Father honours

Such His love.