Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life: The Work of Christ in the City

One night near the end of our time in New York (yes it is true, I came back home), the team sat around at our guest housing and got out some of our 'authentic' market-bought djembes and sang songs in a very touching time of worship. Since we all came from different churches and musical backgrounds, we made use of some old hymnals in the building (it was Baptist guest housing, after all) to get on the same page with lyrics and melody. After several rounds of familiar hymns, one of the guys flipped open to a song that was a poignant reminder of the pain and challenges of living in the city, and also an encouragement of the many graces that Christ provides in such an environment. As the world becomes more urban, more crowded, more tense, it seems the gospel of Christ has the ability to ring out even more clearly to those broken souls who long for a Savior.

Where cross the crowded ways of life,
Where sound the cries of race and clan
Above the noise of selfish strife,
We hear your voice, O Son of Man.

In haunts of wretchedness and need,
On shadowed thresholds dark with fears,
From paths where hide the lures of greed,
We catch the vision of Your tears.

From tender childhood’s helplessness,
From woman’s grief, man’s burdened toil,
From famished souls, from sorrow’s stress,
Your heart has never known recoil.

The cup of water given for You,
Still holds the freshness of Your grace;
Yet long these multitudes to view
The sweet compassion of Your face.

O Master, from the mountainside
Make haste to heal these hearts of pain;
Among these restless throngs abide;
O tread the city’s streets again.

Till sons of men shall learn Your love
And follow where Your feet have trod,
Till, glorious from Your Heaven above,
Shall come the city of our God!

Unfortunately I could not find one decent vocal recording of this hymn so here is a nice piano rendition. Apparently the common tune can be traced back to Beethoven.