Just As I Am
Text by Charlotte Elliott (1835). Tune WOODWORTH by William Batchelder Bradbury (1849). Public domain in all jurisdictions.
Verse 1
GJust as I Cam, with-Gout one Dplea
But Gthat Thy blood was Cshed for Gme
And Gthat Thou bid'st me Ccome to GThee
O CLamb of GGod, I Dcome, I Gcome
Verse 2
GJust as I Cam, and Gwait-ing Dnot
To Grid my soul of Cone dark Gblot
To GThee whose blood can Ccleanse each Gspot
O CLamb of GGod, I Dcome, I Gcome
Verse 3
GJust as I Cam, though Gtossed a-Dbout
With Gman-y a con-Cflict, man-y a Gdoubt
GFight-ings and fears with-Cin, with-Gout
O CLamb of GGod, I Dcome, I Gcome
Verse 4
GJust as I Cam, poor, Gwretch-ed, Dblind
GSight, rich-es, heal-ing Cof the Gmind
Yea, Gall I need in CThee to Gfind
O CLamb of GGod, I Dcome, I Gcome
Verse 5
GJust as I Cam, Thou Gwilt re-Dceive
Wilt Gwel-come, par-don, Ccleanse, re-Glieve
Be-Gcause Thy pro-mise CI be-Glieve
O CLamb of GGod, I Dcome, I Gcome
Verse 6
GJust as I Cam, Thy Glove un-Dknown
Has Gbro-ken eve-ry Cbar-rier Gdown
Now, Gto be Thine, yea, CThine a-Glone
O CLamb of GGod, I Dcome, I Gcome
Structure
Playing Tips
🎸 Strum Pattern — Verse
Play this slowly and quietly — a single gentle downstroke per beat is enough. The slower and softer you play, the more space there is for the congregation to actually mean what they are singing. We have played this at altars where the guitar was barely above a whisper, and it was more powerful than any full-band moment. Let the words carry the weight. The music is just the floor beneath them.
🔊 Dynamics — Verse
Verses 1 and 2 are quiet and reflective. By verse 4 — "poor, wretched, blind" — let the band swell very slightly, because that is where the honesty of the text peaks. Verse 5 is a moment of receiving: "Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve." This is where you can open up a little more warmly. Verse 6 is the resolution: "Thy love unknown has broken every barrier down." Let that breathe. Then on the final line — "O Lamb of God, I come" — consider pulling the instruments out entirely and letting the congregation sing it unaccompanied. It is a moment that tends to stay with people.
→ Transitions
You rarely need transitions here because you are likely playing it repeatedly during an altar call. The loop is verse after verse. Keep the same gentle tempo, same quiet dynamic. Do not build to a climax — that is not what this song is doing. It is sustaining an invitation. Your job is to keep the door open, not to push people through it.
🎵 Band Direction
Keys: a soft, sustained pad and gentle right-hand melody notes are ideal. No syncopation, no fills. Bass: root notes only, played quietly. Drums: completely optional, and often better left out during an altar call. If you do use percussion, a shaker or a very soft kick on beat 1 is the maximum. The goal is to create a sonic atmosphere of safety — something that says "this is a space where it is okay to come."
🎤 Vocal
Key of G is comfortable for most voices. The highest note falls on "bid'st me come to Thee" — a D4, very accessible. Female leads often sound beautiful here in G. For a slightly higher key, capo 2 gives you A. The melody is simple enough that even first-time congregation members can follow it. Charlotte Elliott wrote this hymn during a season of illness and deep spiritual wrestling — she felt unworthy, and a friend reminded her that she could come to God exactly as she was. She went home and wrote verse 1 in one sitting. Sharing that before you sing it changes how people hear it.