What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Written By: The Good and the Beautiful Published On:

Sing along with this delightful illustrated video of the beloved hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Then print and read about the story behind this encouraging song. Jesus is with us in our trials and sorrows. Find comfort in His strength and faithfulness. There’s truly no better friend than Jesus.

  • “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” Lyrics

    What a friend we have in Jesus,
    All our sins and griefs to bear.
    What a privilege to carry
    Everything to God in prayer.

    Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
    Oh, what needless pain we bear,
    All because we do not carry
    Everything to God in prayer.

    Have we trials and temptations?
    Is there trouble anywhere?
    We should never be discouraged,
    Take it to the Lord in prayer.

    Can we find a friend so faithful,
    Who will all our sorrows share?
    Jesus knows our every weakness,
    Take it to the Lord in prayer.

    Can we find a friend so faithful,
    Who will all our sorrows share?
    Jesus knows our every weakness,
    Take it to the Lord in prayer.

  • Click the image to download a printable PDF of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” lyrics!

    A collage of two printable pages with illustrations, song lyrics and a bible verse on them | The Good and the Beautiful
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Sing along with this uplifting illustrated video of the cherished hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”

Story of the Song

Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1820, Joseph Scriven attended Dublin’s Trinity College followed by Addiscombe Military College before facing a personal tragedy. Wanting a fresh beginning, Scriven crossed the Atlantic and started a new life in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. He became a private live-in tutor for the family of a retired naval officer.

One day Scriven received a letter from home. His mother was very ill. Unable to return to her, he wrote a poem with her in mind: “Pray without Ceasing.” He sent one copy to his mother and tucked a second copy of the poem in his desk, where it stayed hidden for many years.

  • An illustrated image of a boy standing up in a wild flower field next to his bike and looking up into the sky with the bible verse Philippians 4:6-7 on the image | The Good and the Beautiful

Once the children he tutored grew up, Scriven quietly and prayerfully served the people of Port Hope as a preacher. He devoted his life to taking care of the needs of the sick, poor, and widowed. It is said that he would give his own clothing, food, or money to the needy.

An illustrated image of a family of five sitting at a table together while the dad reads his bible out loud | The Good and the Beautiful

As his health was failing in his later years, his friend, James Sackville, found the poem Scriven had long ago tucked away in his desk. Sackville shared Scriven’s poem in a Canadian publication under its original title, “Pray without Ceasing,” in 1886, the same year Scriven passed away. In a 1919 publication of the poem, editor and publisher Edward Samuel Caswell remarked that it was a significant piece of Canadian literature.

While its original title did not stick, the song’s meaningful and personal lyrics have touched the hearts of millions. Today, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” remains a favorite hymn among Christians all across the world.

  • A printable page with an illustration of a boy in a flower pasture holding his bike by his side and looking up on the bottom and the song lyrics of What a Friend We Have in Jesus above him | The Good and the Beautiful
  • An illustrated image of a boy standing up in a grassy field next to his bike and looking up into the sky with the bible verse Philippians 4:6-7 on the image | The Good and the Beautiful
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