The story behind the hymn
Will Thompson was a successful songwriter and music publisher from Ohio — so successful that Dwight L. Moody, on his deathbed, reportedly told him: I would rather have written Softly and Tenderly than anything I have been able to do in my whole life. The hymn's power is in its tenderness: it is the sound of a Saviour who does not shout.
Where many invitation hymns press and warn, this one waits: 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. The repeated word is come — come home, ye who are weary, come home.
The middle stanzas are honest about time — why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading?... time is now fleeting, the moments are passing — but always inside that gentleness. And the refrain simply keeps the door open and the light on: come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home; earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling — calling, O sinner, come home.
The lyrics
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.
Refrain
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?
O for the wonderful love He has promised,Promised for you and for me!Though we have sinned, He has mercy and pardon,Pardon for you and for me.
Public domain. Free to sing, copy, print, and share.
The Scripture behind it
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Come unto me, all ye that labour — the invitation the hymn sets to music.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
The father saw him, and ran — the come-home the hymn keeps singing.