FAIREST LORD JESUS

        One of the oldest  and most beautiful hymns of the Christian faith is "Fairest Lord Jesus", also sometimes known as "Beautiful Savior".   It has been sung by children and worshippers for centuries and yet very little is known of its origin or history.  It is sometimes called "The Crusaders' Hymn" because of a legend that it was sung by twelfth century German crusaders as they made their journey to fight the Moslems in Palestine.  But many historians dismiss that and feel that any association with the Crusades is completely erroneous. The text is now considered by some to be an anonymous seventeenth century German folk hymn which first appeared in a manuscript dated 1662 from Muenster in Westphalia.  While we don't know who actually wrote the song or when it was written, many different opinions exist.  But, no matter, it remains a classic hymn of worship and praise of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The hymn is an acknowledgment that Jesus is more precious, more beautiful, more glorious than anything else in the world. It's an ascription of primacy to Jesus Christ above everything in terms of value. It's not unlike the text from Philippians 3:1-11, in which the Apostle Paul says that he counts everything else rubbish in comparison to the greatness of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of His resurrection. This devotional hymn is all focused on the glory of Jesus Christ. There's also an acknowledgment that He's the ruler of all nations, so it's an acknowledgment of His sovereign rule over the world, and that He is the Son of God and Son of man. This goes right back to the earliest confessions of the church that Jesus was fully human and fully divine.   it also expresses the love of the hymn singer to Christ, "Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou my soul's glory, joy, and crown."  it's all about desiring Christ in all His glory, and valuing Christ more than anything else in the world.  Whenever we sing this song we should reflect on the virtues of our Savior Jesus Christ. He is worthy of our praise. In fact, as God, He is worthy of our worship. Therefore, may we ever be willing to confess Him before men as our "Fairest Lord Jesus."

1     Fairest Lord Jesus, 

ruler of all nature, 

O thou of God and man the Son, 

Thee will I cherish, 

Thee will I honor, 

thou, my soul's glory, joy, and crown

.

2     Fair are the meadows, 

fairer still the woodlands, 

robed in the blooming garb of spring: 

Jesus is fairer, 

Jesus is purer 

who makes the woeful heart to sing.

3     Fair is the sunshine, 

fairer still the moonlight, 

and all the twinkling starry host: 

Jesus shines brighter, 

Jesus shines purer 

than all the angels heaven can boast.

4     Beautiful Savior! 

Lord of all the nations! 

Son of God and Son of Man! 

Glory and honor, 

praise, adoration, 

now and forevermore be thine.

Listen to it here.   FAIREST 1

FAIREST 2