Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus is a timeless hymn centered on the truth that spiritual insight comes from fixing our soul’s vision entirely on the glory of Christ. This song highlights the sufficiency of God’s Word, reminding the believer that His promises are unfailing and provide a firm foundation even in darkness. Are you weary and troubled by the trials of this world, or will you look to the light of the Savior today? Will you trust in the life more abundant and free that He offers to all who seek Him? The following lyrics provide a pathway for turning your heart toward the heavenly spiritual insight.
Original Version of Helen Howarth Lemmel (1918):
STANZA 1
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
REFRAIN:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
STANZA 2
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conqu’rors we are!
STANZA 3
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Sovereign Grace Music Version/ Cover (2019):
VERSE 1
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace
VERSE 2
Turn your eyes to the hillside
Where justice and mercy embraced
There the Son of God gave His life for us
And our measureless debt was erased
CHORUS
Jesus, to You we lift our eyes
Jesus, our glory and our prize
We adore You, behold You, our Savior ever true
Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You
VERSE 3
Turn your eyes to the morning
And see Christ the Lion awake
What a glorious dawn, fear of death is gone
For we carry His life in our veins
VERSE 4
Turn your eyes to the heavens
Our King will return for His own
Every knee will bow, every tongue will shout,
‘All glory to Jesus alone!’
Frequently Asked Questions
Who composed the song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus? Helen Howarth Lemmel wrote and composed the worship song Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.
When was Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus released? The original version was published by Helen Lemmel as a pamphlet in 1918 in London and later appeared in her 1922 collection, Glad Songs. The hymn gained wider recognition in the United States starting in 1924 when it was included in the collection Gospel Truth in Song. Notable later versions that gained wide recognition include recordings by Michael W. Smith (2001), Alan Jackson (2006), and Lauren Daigle (2018).
Sovereign Grace Music released a modern hymn version titled “Turn Your Eyes” on their 2019 album, The Glorious Christ. This popular rendition has earned over 10+ million views on YouTube (watch below) and introduces a powerful additional chorus. The new chorus states: “Jesus, to You we lift our eyes / Jesus, our glory and our prize”. It continues: “We adore You, behold You, our Savior ever true / Oh Jesus, we turn our eyes to You”. George Romanacce and other writers added verses highlighting Christ’s sacrifice, resurrection, and future return to the heavens. This version beautifully preserves Helen Lemmel’s original message while providing fresh language for modern congregational worship.
What worship themes fit Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus? This hymn reflects the core themes of spiritual focus, the sufficiency of God’s Word, victory over sin, and evangelistic mission. It is particularly suitable for settings focused on encouragement, personal dedication, and evangelistic appeals, as it moves the believer from a state of weariness to a position of spiritual abundance. The song encourages a response of complete trust in Christ, leading to a spiritual impact where earthly distractions diminish in the light of His glory, ultimately energizing the believer to share His salvation with a dying world.
What Is the Message of Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus?
Many worshippers struggle to find peace while drowning in the constant noise and pressures of daily life. Spiritual insight comes from fixing our soul’s vision entirely on the glory of Christ. We often long for a sense of clarity that the world cannot provide to our weary souls. The Bible encourages us to look “unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV). Can looking at one specific point really change how we see everything else around us? Christ provides the light that exposes our fears, allowing us to respond by focusing on His wonderful face. Worshippers find true restoration when they intentionally set aside distractions to seek His presence. How does gaining spiritual insight through Jesus transform our perception of the world? The following paragraphs provide three powerful answers to this central question.
One major way is that the things of earth “grow strangely dim” when viewed in the light of His glory and grace. This occurs because our spiritual optics shift toward the Savior, making previously overwhelming troubles seem small. When we focus on Christ, His radiant presence reveals the true nature of our earthly struggles. The Bible says God “has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV). Consequently, the “light of His glory” acts as a divine filter for every difficulty we encounter. We discover that what once felt heavy now appears insignificant against the backdrop of His eternal grace.
Does gaining spiritual insight through Jesus transform our perception of the world by shifting our focus off ourselves? Indeed, focusing on God’s glory causes the “glory of man” to dwindle during our moments of deepest worship. When we behold His “wonderful face,” we realize that human performance cannot compare to His divine majesty. This shift in perspective humbles the heart and replaces self-centered pride with a holy reverence for God. Scripture invites us to “look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth” (Isaiah 45:22 NKJV). Furthermore, looking to Him ensures that we no longer seek the fleeting approval of other people. The soul finds a higher purpose by acknowledging that only Christ is worthy of our ultimate attention.
How does gaining spiritual insight through Jesus transform our perception of the world when we feel overwhelmed by busyness? Worldly distractions appear as “fleeting shadows” when the soul finds complete restoration in His holy presence. We often pursue “life more abundant and free” through temporary things that eventually leave us empty. However, turning to Christ provides a lasting peace that transcends the chaotic noise of daily life. The Bible tells us to look “at the things which are not seen” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NKJV). Similarly, fixing our eyes on the eternal Savior allows us to see through the illusions of the world. Therefore, we find restoration because we are looking at the one point that truly matters for eternity.
Issues, Criticism, and Controversies of Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Theologians sometimes critique the hymn for being too “other-worldly” in its core message. Specifically, some experts argue that focusing on heaven makes believers less useful for earthly duties. In contrast, defenders explain that the song actually energizes the believer for mission work. Moreover, critics frequently ignore the final stanza which explicitly commands believers to share the gospel.
Because Helen Lemmel wrote the song in 1918, it is certainly not AI-generated. Her life faced a major controversy when her husband abandoned her following her sudden blindness. Nevertheless, she remained faithful to God and served at the Moody Bible Institute for many years. Most churches accepted the hymn enthusiastically after it became popular at the 1922 Keswick Conference. Prominent theologians like Mary Vanden Berg have praised the song for its biblical balance. Today, artists such as Lauren Daigle and Alan Jackson help keep this worship tradition alive.
Story Behind Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Helen Lemmel found the inspiration for this hymn in 1918 while reading a missionary tract. Lilias Trotter wrote the pamphlet titled “Focussed” after she watched a dandelion follow the sun. She realized that the flower caught all the glory because it stayed fixed on the light. Consequently, Trotter argued that focusing on Christ causes earthly distractions to acquire a strange new dimness.
Suddenly, Lemmel felt the Holy Spirit dictate the chorus directly into her soul and mind. She wrote the words and music without even stopping to think about the composition. Although she was physically blind, her spiritual vision allowed her to complete over five hundred hymns. Lemmel lived as a dedicated servant of God until her death at age ninety-seven.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Relevant Bible Verses
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:22 NKJV
The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 NKJV
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 NKJV
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37 NKJV
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are transient, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 NKJV
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Consider to add Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Hymn in your repertoire or worship line-up if the themes are about Abandonment, Encouragement, Faith, Peace, Promises
Sovereign Grace Music version: Original words (V1) and music by Helen H. Lemmel. Add. words (V2-4) by George Romanacce, Nathan Stiff, Nic Trout, and Kevin Winebarger. Chorus by George Romanacce, Nathan Stiff, Nic Trout, and Kevin Winebarger. © 2019 Sovereign Grace Worship/ASCAP, Sovereign Grace Praise/BMI, Sovereign Grace Songs/SESAC (adm. worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com, excluding the UK & Europe which is adm. by Integrity Music). Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Churches. All rights reserved.
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus Lyrics and Music by Helen Howarth Lemmel. Originally published in 1918 and 1922. This hymn is in the Public Domain.