Prodigal’s Return

In Amidons’ book ‘Fifty-five Anthems for the Small Church Choir‘ Sung here by the Friends-of-the-Amidons-Singers, Tony Barrand and Mary Alice Amidon soloists. Our late friend and singing colleague Lucy Simpson was a great collector and singer of old hymns. Like many of her discoveries, she found this song in one of her many old hymnals. You get both the piano/SATB score and vocal score pdfs.

LYRICS

The Prodigal’s Return
from ‘The Vestry Harp’ by AD Merrill,
published in 1845.

Afflictions though they seem severe
In mercy oft are sent,
They stopped the prodigal’s career
And caused him to repent.

I’ll die no more for bread, he cried
Nor starve in foreign lands
My father’s house hath large supplies
And bounteous are his hands.

What have I gained by sin, he said,
But hunger shame and fear;
My father’s house abounds with bread
While I am starving here.

I’ll go and tell him all I’ve done
Fall down before his face
Unworthy to be called his son
I’ll seek a servant’s place.

His father saw him coming back
He saw and ran and smiled
And threw his arms around the neck
Of his rebellious child.

Father, I’ve sinned but O forgive
Enough, the Father said;
Rejoice, my house, my Son’s alive
For whom I mourned as dead.

Now let the fatted calf be slain
And spread the news around;
My son was dead and lives again;
Was lost, but now is found.

‘Tis thus the Lord his love reveals,
To call poor sinners home;
More than a Father’s love he feels,
And welcomes all who come.

I’ll die no more for bread, he cried
Nor starve in foreign lands
My father’s house hath large supplies
And bounteous are his hands