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Softly and Tenderly

As I heard the story, the hymn, "Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling," was written by Will Lamartine Thompson, born in 1847 in Ohio. Thompson had quite a busy music ministry. He would travel around in a horse and buggy to small towns in Ohio, singing his songs wherever he went. The song was based on Mark 10:49 KJV “And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, ‘Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee’.”

The hymn invites listeners to come home to Jesus, emphasizing His gentle and loving call. The song is a reminder that Jesus is calling the weary and lost to come home. He calls, not in anger, but in love and mercy. Its tender and pleading tone makes it one of the most effective invitation hymns in Christian worship, inviting sinners to return to Jesus, emphasizing His gentle, loving, and compassionate call.

Thompson was inspired to devote himself to writing while attending a meeting by popular evangelist Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899). When Moody was dying in the hospital, he told Thompson, “Will, I would rather have written ‘Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling’ than anything I have been able to do in my whole life.” So powerful is this song that even Moody recognized its ability to bring people to God.

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,

Calling for you and for me;

See, on the portals He’s waiting and watching,

Watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home,

Ye who are weary, come home;

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,

Calling, O sinner, come home!

Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,

Pleading for you and for me?

Why should we linger and heed not His mercies,

Mercies for you and for me?

Come home, come home,

Ye who are weary, come home;

Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,