The Story Behind….
The Light of the World is Jesus
The popular “singing Pilgrim,” as Philip Bliss was called, was well known on both sides of the Atlantic, for Ira D. Sankey sang his appealing songs into the hearts of the people.
The great revival held in England and Scotland by Moody and Sankey in 1873 owed much of its success to the pleasing hymns and tunes introduced there for the first time. Many of these were composed by Bliss, and somehow, people who heard them could not shake them off.
Philip Paul Bliss was only 38 years old when he lost his life in a train accident while on his way to join Sankey in Chicago. He died trying to save his wife from a burning railway car.
To Bliss, the writing of music and song bearing a Gospel message would so fill his heart with joy that the feeling ran into the melody—and thence into hearts.
Philip Bliss was born in the vast region of northern Pennsylvania, and the very wildness and softness of nature spoke to his inmost being.
“The Light of the World is Jesus” was written for a revival meeting and was sung by Ira D. Sankey. It proved to be a favorite and still is.
The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin,
The Light of the world is Jesus;
Like sunshine at noonday His glory shone in,
The Light of the world is Jesus.
Chorus
Come to the Light, ‘tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the Light has dawned upon me,
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus.
No darkness have we who in Jesus abide,
The Light of the world is Jesus;
We walk in the Light when we follow our Guide,
The Light of the world is Jesus.
Ye dwellers in darkness with sin-blinded eyes,
The Light of the world is Jesus;
Go wash at His bidding and light will arise,
The Light of the world is Jesus.
No need of the sunlight in heaven, we’re told,
The Light of the world is Jesus;
The Lamb is the Light in the City of Gold,
The Light of the world is Jesus.