Mary at the Feet of Christ + 

She stood at Jesus’ feet, + 

And bathed them with her tears, + 

While o’er her spirit surg’d + 

The guilt and shame of years. + 

Though Simon saw the grief + 

Upon the fair young face, + 

The stern man coldly thought + 

For her this is no place. + 

Her feet have turned aside + 

From paths of truth and right, + 

If Christ a prophet be + 

He’ll spurn her from his sight. + 

And silently he watched + 

The child of sin and care, + 

Uncoil upon Christ’s feet + 

Her wealth of raven hair. + 

O Life! she sadly thought, + 

I know thy bane and blight, + 

And yet I fain would find + 

The path of peace and right. + 

I’ve seen the leper cleansed, + 

I’ve seen the sick made whole, + 

But mine’s a deeper wound⁠— + 

It eats into the soul. + 

And men have trampled down + 

The beauty once their prize, + 

While women pass me by + 

With cold, averted eyes. + 

But now a hope of peace + 

Steals o’er my weary breast, + 

And from these lips of love + 

There comes a sense of rest. + 

The tender, loving Christ + 

Gazed on her tearful eyes, + 

Then saw on Simon’s face + 

A look of cold surprise. + 

“Simon,” the Saviour said, + 

“Thou wast to me remiss, + 

I came thy guest, but thou + 

Didst give no welcome kiss. + 

“Thou broughtest from thy fount + 

No water cool and sweet, + 

But she, with many tears, + 

Hath bent and kissed my feet. + 

“Thou pouredst on my head + 

No oil with kindly care, + 

But she anoints my feet, + 

And wipes them with her hair. + 

“I know her steps have strayed, + 

Her sins they many be, + 

But she with love hath bound + 

Her erring heart to me.” + 

How sweetly fell his words + 

Upon her bruised heart, + 

When, like a ghastly train, + 

She felt her sins depart. + 

What music heard on earth, + 

Or rapture moving heaven + 

Were like those precious words⁠— + 

“Thy sins are all forgiven!” + 