Happy Valentine's Day to all of you. During this time we are drawn to thoughts of love, love between friends, between boyfriend and girlfriend, or between husband and wife. But in my choice of hymns this month, I am trying to center on the greatest love, the love of Christ for each of us. The love that would cause Jesus to leave the beauty and glory of heaven to come to this earth to give His life for us, even while we were deep in sin. And it is because of that love that we desire to love Him more each day. "We love Him because He first loved us." (I John 4:19) Frederick Whitfield was born and reared in England and was graduated from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. He studied for the ministry and was ordained in the Church of England. He was first appointed to parishes in Yorkshire, and later served at Greenwich near London. He wrote this hymn in 1855 while still a student at Trinity College. He published about 30 volumes of prose and verse, and a couple of his songs can be found in some hymnals today. But most familiar to us is "O How I Love Jesus". In less than ten years after its first printing, the hymn began to appear in hymnals in America. Churches on the western frontier and rural churches in the eastern states usually only had one copy of a songbook, and it contained only the words. The preacher or song leader would give the tune and then would "line out" the hymn by reading ahead line-by-line as the congregation sang the hymn. (A technique often used today by "praise and worship" leaders.) The refrain is not part of Whitfield's original hymn, but was later added by some unknown person. Characterized by simplicity and a lilting style, the tune used here is typical of camp meeting songs that emerged in America in the early 19th century. It's a simple song with a deep meaning. If Jesus is your Savior, then you may want to sing this hymn to Him this Valentine's Day.
(1) There is a name I love to hear,
I love to sing its worth;
It sounds like music in my ear,
The sweetest name on earth.
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
Because he first loved me!
(2) It tells me of a Savior's love,
Who died to set me free;
It tells me of his precious blood,
The sinner's perfect plea.
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
Because he first loved me!
(3) It tells of one whose loving heart
Can feel my deepest woe;
Who in each sorrow bears a part
That none can bear below.
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
Because he first loved me!
You can listen to it here. LISTEN
1 comment:
Wonderful
God is good.
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