One of the most beautiful, spiritual songs is Nearer, Still Nearer. Of course, I am bias because it’s in the top five songs on my list for my own walk with the Lord. The song has a biblical progression to it. It begins with a prayer for God to bring us closer and closer to Him. It then addresses the fact that there is no way we can be near the Lord unless the blood of Jesus cleanses us. The third stanza moves us toward craving Jesus more than sin – whatever barrier we need to remove so we can be near Jesus we will remove! Lastly, the ultimate goal has been reached and we are finally in eternal glory in unbroken and unbreakable fellowship with our God and Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Read Philippians 3:7-11 and the lyrics below and then listen to this “close to inspired” song.
1. Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart,
Draw me, my Savior—so precious Thou art!
Fold me, oh, fold me close to Thy breast;
Shelter me safe in that “haven of rest”;
Shelter me safe in that “haven of rest.”
2. Nearer, still nearer, nothing I bring,
Naught as an off’ring to Jesus, my King;
Only my sinful, now contrite heart,
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart;
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.
3. Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be Thine!
Sin, with its follies, I gladly resign,
All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride,
Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified;
Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified.
4. Nearer, still nearer, while life shall last,
Till safe in glory my anchor is cast;
Through endless ages ever to be
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee;
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee!
Philippians 3:7-11
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.