Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear;
Things I would ask Him to tell me
If He were here –
Scenes by the wayside,
Tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus,
Tell them to me.
First let me hear how the children
Stood ’round His knee,
And I shall fancy His blessing
Resting on me;
Words full of kindness,
Deeds full of grace,
All in the love light
Of Jesus’ face.
Tell me, in accents of wonder,
How rolled the sea,
Tossing the boat in a tempest
On Galilee;
And how the Master,
Ready and kind,
Chided the billows
And hushed the wind.
Into the city I’d follow
The children’s band,
Waving a branch of the palm tree
High in my hand;
One of His heralds,
Yes, I would sing
Loudest hosannas –
Jesus is King!
Show me that scene in the garden,
Of bitter pain;
And of the cross where my Saviour
For me was slain;
Sad ones or bright ones,
So that they be
Stories of Jesus –
Tell them to me.
Written first for children, this song gives a simple outline of significant events in Jesus’ life. This week we celebrate the story told in verse 4: Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, accompanied by palm-waving and hosanna-shouting crowds. Would we churchgoers of today have been among those publicly praising Him? Or might we have stood back, concerned with the opinions of His opposers – or even those of our indifferent neighbours?
William Parker, the hymn’s author, was born in Nottingham, England, in 1845 and began writing poems in his youth. He was a member of a Baptist church and had much interest in Sunday Schools. He had many hymns published, some in collections called The School Hymnal, The Children’s Book of Praise , and Sunday School Hymnary . Most were written for Sunday School anniversaries. The above song was written about 1885 after his Sunday School class said, “Teacher, tell us another story,” and originally had six verses.
