What a Friend We Have in Jesus must be one of the most loved hymns of all time – though it was borne in tragedy in the life of its author who twice lost his fiancée before marriage, yet found hope in Christ. This hymn has got to be in most people’s ‘Top Ten’ of favourite hymns.
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.Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.Blessed Saviour, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship
Will be our sweet portion there.Joseph M. Scriven
Here is the story of the hymn …
The Author of the Hymn
Joseph Scriven was born in 1819 in Banbridge, Ireland, into a prosperous family. He studied at Trinity College Dublin, where he seemed set for a comfortable life. Yet his Christian convictions grew stronger, shaping him into a man more concerned with holiness and charity than social success.
The Fiancées Who Never Made It to the Altar
Scriven’s life was marked by heartbreak. His first fiancée drowned in a river the night before their wedding. Years later, after emigrating to Canada, he found love again only to lose his second fiancée suddenly to pneumonia before they could marry. Twice engaged. Twice heartbroken.
A Poem for a Mother
In 1855, in the midst of his sorrow, Scriven wrote a simple poem for his ailing mother back in Dublin. He wanted to comfort her with the truth that, even in loneliness and pain, she had a faithful Friend in Christ. Those words would eventually become one of the most beloved hymns of all time.
A Life of Service Through Suffering
These tragedies changed Scriven deeply. He never married, choosing instead to live simply and serve others. He cared for the poor, nursed the sick, and gave away what little he had. His neighbors called him a “good Samaritan.” His words were not theory, but they came from lived faith in suffering.
From Poem to Hymn
Scriven never intended his poem for public use. But years later, a friend discovered it and shared it. In 1868, American hymn writer Charles C. Converse set the text to music. That tune carried Scriven’s words across the world.
A Gospel Favourite
By the late 19th century, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” was sung in revival meetings led by Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey. Its heartfelt words and singable melody spread quickly, offering comfort to millions across generations and cultures.
Walking Through the Lyrics
Every line of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” carries the weight of Scriven’s life:
• “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear” — Christ shares in our suffering and carries the burden of sin.
• “What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer” — prayer is not duty but gift. • “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear” — many sorrows come because we don’t bring them to Him.
• “All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer” — the hymn calls us to continual dependence. The later verses reinforce this theme: Christ is our refuge in trials, our comfort in loneliness, and our faithful Friend to the end.
Enduring Comfort
The hymn’s appeal is timeless. It points to Christ’s nearness in prayer, His companionship in trials, and the peace that comes from laying our burdens on Him. It has been translated into countless languages and is still sung by Christians everywhere.
revPACman 