Little Jesus, Young Like Me
Music By: Michael Smurthwaite
Voices: Solo – especially good for children
Lyrics By: Francis Thompson, published poem.
Description: These tender words by Francis Thompson gently portray a child’s perspective of a prayerful conversation with Jesus. (Sing it freely, as if talking with a friend. Be sure to pause and ponder a moment after the words, ‘When Thou was so little, say, ‘
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little_jesus_young_like_meLyrics:
1. Little Jesus, wast thou shy once, and just so small as I?
And what did it feel like to be out of heaven, just like me?
Didst Thou sometimes think of there, and ask where all the angels were?
I should think that I would cry for my house all made of sky;
I would look about the air and wonder where the angels were;
And at waking ‘twould distress me not an angel there to dress me!
And didst Thou play in hea’vn with all the angels that were not too tall,
With stars for marbles? Did you sing ‘Can you see me?’ through their wings?
2. Didst Thou kneel at night to pray, and didst Thou join Thy hands this way?
And did they tire, sometimes, being young, and make the prayer seem very long?
And dost Thou like it best that we should join our hands to pray to thee?
I used to think, before I knew, the prayer not said unless we do.
And did Thy mother at the night kiss Thee, and fold the clothes in right?
And didst Thou feel quite good in bed, kissed and sweet and Thy prayers said?
Thou canst not have forgotten all that it feels like to be small.
And Thou knowst I cannot pray to Thee in my father’s way.
When Thou wast so little, say, Couldst Thou talk Thy Father’s way?
3. So a little Child come down and hear a child’s tongue like Thy own;
Take me by the hand and walk, and listen to my baby talk.
To Thy Father show my prayer, (He will look, Thou are so fair),
And say: ‘O Father, I, Thy Son, bring the prayer of a little one.’
And he will smile, that children’s tongue has not changed since Thou wast young!