Must I Go, and Empty-Handed?

By Charles C. Luther

Lyrics

1. “Must I go, and empty handed,”
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?
Refrain:
“Must I go, and empty handed?”
Must I meet my Savior so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him:
Must I empty handed go?
2. Not at death I shrink or falter,
For my Savior saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.
3. O the years in sinning wasted,
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Savior,
To His will I’d gladly bow. 
4. O ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’ertake you,
Strive for souls while still you may. 

1 John 2:28

About This Hymn

Must I Go, and Empty-Handed? was inspired by the testimony of a young man who had come to faith but passed away shortly after, with regret that he had no opportunity to serve Christ. Charles Luther, a former journalist and pastor, wrote the poignant lyrics reflecting on the sorrow of entering eternity with no souls won for Christ. George Stebbins, a prominent gospel composer, added the moving melody shortly afterward.

The hymn became a compelling call to Christian service and soul-winning, often used in evangelistic meetings and revival settings.

Staff Visualizer

Powered by HTML MIDI PLAYER, MIDI FILE Made by Hymnal Library.

Hymn Sheet for Must I Go, and Empty-Handed?
Stay updated with hymns and devotionals

📬 Subscribe to Our Devotional Updates

Receive weekly hymns, devotionals, and website features directly in your inbox.

✅ Thank you! You'll start receiving our updates soon.

⭐ Recommend This Hymn

Share this beautiful hymn with others

This hymn is found in these hymnals

Open the hymnal that contains this hymn:

You might also like

Hymns with the same subject

More hymns about Jesus Christ, Redeemer

More hymn subjects

Explore other themes across the library.

Hymns about Lordship of Christ Hymns about God the Father Hymns about Prayer Hymns about Majesty of God Hymns about Benediction Hymns about Humility Hymns about Guidance Hymns about Opening of Worship
Browse all subjects →

Recently Added Hymns

Latest Updated Hymnals

  • The People's Hymnal
    The People's Hymnal
    Updated 6 days, 1 hour ago · 1961
    Open
  • Book of Common Praise (BoCP1915)
    Book of Common Praise (BoCP1915)
    Updated 2 weeks, 6 days ago · 1915
    Open
  • Our Great Redeemer's Praise
    Our Great Redeemer's Praise
    Updated 2 months, 2 weeks ago · 2022
    Open
  • The Parish Hymnal (1873)
    The Parish Hymnal (1873)
    Updated 2 months, 3 weeks ago · 1873
    Open
  • Book of Common Praise (BCP1998)
    Book of Common Praise (BCP1998)
    Updated 3 months ago · 1998
    Open

Hymn Information

image of Must I Go, and Empty-Handed? of Charles C. Luther

To view the author's biography, click their name above.

Sheet Music

Sheet music for Must I Go, and Empty-Handed? by Charles C. Luther
Download Sheet Music Image View Full Size

MIDI File

Ready to load
Download MIDI

Hymns from 1877

Show more hymns from 1877

Popular Hymns

Recent Blog Posts

View All Blog Posts

Popular Blog Posts

Visit Us on Social Media

Latest from X (Twitter)
Latest from Facebook

Latest on YouTube

Loading latest video...
Learn Piano Tutorials on this Channel

Daily Bible Verse

View other hymn authors

Explore biographies of hymn writers and lyricists on Hymnal Library.
Disclaimer

The hymns, sheet music, MIDI files, and related content on this website are provided for educational and research purposes only.

  • Public Domain: Many of the hymns featured here are in the public domain and may be freely used.
  • Copyrighted Works: Some hymns may still be under copyright protection. Where applicable, permission has either been requested from the copyright owner, or the content is shared under the principles of fair use for educational purposes.

⚠️ Important Notice: If you wish to reproduce, distribute, or use any copyrighted hymn beyond personal study or educational use, you must obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. This website does not grant any rights for commercial use yet.

If there is any other question please address it to us in our Contact Page, for further assistance. Thank you for using the site. May God Bless You.

Explore full hymn library

Browse all hymns, filter by category, and use advanced search to find tunes, meters, and authors.
Recently Added · Dictionary of Hymnology
Browse dictionary →