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When I See My Saviour

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Words: Maud Fraser Jackson (dates unknown)
Music: Robert Harkness (b. March 2, 1880; d. May 8, 1961)

Note: Robert Harkness was a well-known pianist and gospel songwriter in the early part of the twentieth century. He served as pianist in the evangelistic meetings of R. A. Torrey (the preacher) and Charles Alexander (Torrey’s song leader). As I’ve noted elsewhere, my father introduced me to Mr. Harkness when I was a small boy, so he’s one of our hymn writers that I’ve actually met personally.

But of Maud Fraser Jackson we know surprisingly little. I say surprisingly because she wrote many hymns. The Cyber Hymnal lists 143 of them. At the Wordwise link below, I speculate about a Maud Fraser who may be the hymn writer, but it’s only a possibility. At a guess, she likely lived around 1875 to 1945.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The present gospel song was written in 1911. It expresses the author’s overwhelming gratitude and heartfelt worship as she considers the sufferings of Christ.

(1) When I see my Saviour, hanging on Calvary,
Bearing there for sinners bitterest agony.
Gratitude o’erwhelms me, makes mine eyes grow dim,
All my ransomed being captive is to Him.

There were many people near the cross that day, watching the Saviour in His dying hours. Others, of course, are not named or identified. We do not know, for example, whether Simon of Cyrene, who bore Jesus’ cross the last of the way to Calvary (Matt. 27:32; Mk. 15:21), remained to watch what happened. Others were merely passers by, who blasphemed the Lord, mocked Him and went on their way (Matt. 27:39-40; Mk. 15:29-30). But there are still others the gospels mentions particularly.

  • The disciples. In the garden of Gethsemane, at the time of Christ’s arrest, the disciples “forsook Him and fled” (Matt. 26:56). But at the time of His crucifixion they seem to have watched from a distance (Lk. 23:49). Only John (identified as “the disciple whom He loved”) came near enough to speak with the Lord. This is mentioned by John himself, as it relates to the later care of Mary (Jn. 19:25-27).
  • The women. Some of these were faithful individuals who sometimes travelled with the Lord, serving in various ways. Several women are mentioned by name, including Mary, the mother of Jesus (Matt. 27:55-56; Mk. 15:40-41; Jn. 19:25).
  • The Jewish leaders. They were avowed enemies of Jesus, having insisted that Pilate execute Him. Now they mocked and ridiculed Him (Matt. 27:41-43; Mk. 15:31-32). They objected to the sign posted over Jesus’ head, which said, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS,” wanting it to be altered to, “He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews,’” but Pilate refused (Mk. 15:19, 21).
  • The Roman soldiers. For them, the three executions were was likely a distasteful job that had to be done. They gambled over Christ’s clothing, unknowingly fulfilling prophecy (Matt. 27:35), then sat down to watch Him die (Matt. 27:36). The soldiers too mocked the Lord (Mk. 15:36-37). But one of them was a centurion (an officer with a hundred men under him). He was very impressed with Christ, and after His death declared, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matt. 27:54; Mk. 15:39), and “a righteous Man” (Mk. 15:47).
  • The two criminals. The two were crucified with Jesus. At first, they both joined in ridiculing the Saviour (Matt. 27:44). But one finally expressed a desire to be with Christ in His kingdom, and his desire was granted (Mk. 15:39-43).

Reviewing what is said about each of these, and by them, you will see represented such attitudes and feelings as: arrogant hatred and careless indifference, disappointment and doubt, grief and fear, faith and loyalty, love and affection. In some ways it is a kind of microcosm of the various ways people respond to Christ today.

However, missing from the mix is the kind of passionate gratitude expressed in Maud Fraser Jackson’s hymn. His followers loved the Lord, and grieved for what had happened to Him but, at the time, there was no real appreciation of the fact that this was an essential part of God’s sovereign plan. His death seemed to them as the death of hope, and the end of everything. How could they be grateful for such a disaster? That was to come later, after His resurrection (Lk. 24:25-26, 44-48; Acts 2:22-24). Today, we rejoice with this hymn’s author in what the sufferings of Christ accomplished, and are able to praise and thank Him.

(2) I can see the blood drops, red ’neath His thorny crown,
From the cruel nail wounds now they are falling down;
Lord, when I would wander from Thy love away,
Let me see those blood drops shed for me that day.

(3) “Why hast Thou forsaken?” List to that sad, sad moan!
Oh, His heart was broken, suffering there alone;
Broken then that mortals ne’er need cry in vain
For God’s love and comfort, in the hour of pain.

Questions:

  1. In your view, what is the predominant attitude toward Christ today?
  2. What things characterize your own attitude toward Christ?

Links:

Go to Dark Gethsemane

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Words: James Montgomery (b. Nov. 4, 1771; d. Apr. 30, 1854)
Music: Redhead 76, by Richard Redhead (b. March 1, 1820; d. Apr. 27, 1901)

Note: Montgomery’s text was first published in 1820, then he revised and republished it, five years later. This accounts for a number of the differences in some hymnals. Preeminent hymn historian John Julian has printed both versions in his massive two-volume Dictionary of Hymnology (pp. 430-431). Here are both the 1820 and 1825 versions of (4) so you can see some of the changes the author made.

(1820)
Early to the tomb repair,
Where they laid His breathless clay;
Angels kept their vigils there:
Who hath taken Him away?
“Christ is risen,” He seeks the skies;
Saviour! Teach us so to rise.

(1825)
Early hasten to the tomb,
Where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom–
Who hath taken Him away?
Christ is risen–He meets our eyes;
Saviour, teach us so to rise.

The tune is sometimes called Redhead 76, because it is number 76 in the composer’s Church Hymn Tunes. As well, you may find it with one of several other names: Ajalon, Gethsemane, Petra, or simply Redhead.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Years ago, a pastor visited Gethsemane with some others. Later he wrote of the moving experience:

“We sat down on a rock overlooking the garden. The moon was still bright, and the venerable olive trees were casting dark shadows across the sacred ground. The silence of the night increased the solemnity. No human voice was heard, and the stillness was only broken by the occasional barking of dogs in the city. We read, by the light, [Bible] passages bearing on the agony, and James Montgomery’s solemn hymn.”

Two Hundred Hymn Stories, by Ellen Jane Lorenz, p. 38

In its four stanzas, this very fine hymn calls our attention to: Christ’s agony in Gethsemane; His illegal trial; His crucifixion; and His resurrection. From these Montgomery draws a lesson for the Christian, stated in the last line of each stanza. From Christ we learn to pray, to cling to God in times of distress and need, and to submit ourselves to the will of God (Mk. 14:36).

(1) Go to dark Gethsemane,
Ye that feel the tempter’s power;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see,
Watch with Him one bitter hour,
Turn not from His griefs away;
Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

We learn to bear the cross (2), to identify with Christ and follow Him at any cost (Matt. 16:24).

(2) See Him at the judgment hall,
Beaten, bound, reviled, arraigned;
O the wormwood and the gall!
O the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suffering, shame, or loss;
Learn of Christ to bear the cross.

We learn to die (3). Here, perhaps Montgomery means that we gain a sense of peace in death, confident that, even then, we are in the hands of a loving God (Lk. 23:46). Finally, we learn to rise (4). That we learn that Christ’s resurrection gives us the assurance that those in Christ, by faith, will one day be raised to dwell with Him (Lk. 24:26; cf. I Cor. 15:20-23). May we, as believers, learn to say with Paul, “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).

The lessons are important for us. And the hymn impels us onward with a series of action words. These vary slightly with revisions, but here they are in James Montgomery’s 1825 version:

¤ Go to dark Gethsemane
¤ Follow to the judgment hall
¤ Calvary’s mournful mountain climb
¤ Early hasten to the tomb

Questions:

  1. Which of the four lessons mentioned by Montgomery is hardest for you to learn?
  2. What other Easter hymns do you know that make a personal application in this way?

Links:

When His Salvation Bringing

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Words: John King (b. _____, 1789; d. Sept. 12, 1858)
Music: Tours, by Berthold Tours (b. Dec. 17, 1838; d. March 11, 1897)

Note: The authorship of this hymn was disputed early on. One source ascribed it to “a certain Mr., Mrs. or Miss Rooker” (English Hymns: Their Authors and History, p. 594). Another came closer to the truth with Joshua King. Evidence now seems to favour English clergyman John King. The date of 1830 for its original publication is generally accepted, but it may have appeared as early as 1817.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

T his is a lovely Palm Sunday hymn, addressed particularly to children. It concerns the participation of the children in the aftermath of Christ’s Triumphal Entry into the city of Jerusalem (Matt. 21:7-9). Matthew tells us:

When the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”

Matt. 21:15-16

The reference to the stones crying out (3) comes from the words of Jesus in Luke’s account of the Triumphal Entry. This was the official presentation of Israel’s Messiah-King, prophesied long before (Zech. 9:9-10). The event was so significant in God’s sight that it simply had to be recognized.

Some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Lk. 19:39-40; cf. vs. 41-42

Regarding the use of the term “Zion.” Mount Zion was a rocky escarpment which became part of the ancient city of Jerusalem. Eventually, the entire city came to be referred to as Zion. “The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God!” (Ps. 87:2-3). The name is also applied in one New Testament text to the heavenly city where the throne of God is, the “heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb. 12:22-24).

(1) When, His salvation bringing,
To Zion Jesus came,
The children all stood singing
Hosanna to His name;
Nor did their zeal offend Him,
But, as He rode along,
He let them still attend Him,
And smiled to hear their song.

After alluding to the Lord’s acceptance of praise from the children on this particular occasion, John King broadens his application to children in the present. The hymn thus becomes useful at all occasions, not just on Palm Sunday.

One minor point concerning the sixth line of (2). Christ is not presently seated upon “His throne,” according to Revelation 3:21, but is seated next to God the Father on the Father’s throne. Christ will not be seated on His own throne, the Davidic throne, until He returns to reign over the earth (cf. Lk. 1:31-33).

(2) And since the Lord retaineth
His love for children still,
Though now as King He reigneth
On Zion’s heavenly hill,
We’ll flock around His banner
Who sits upon His throne,
And cry aloud, “Hosanna
To David’s royal Son!”

The idea of the stones crying out in praise to the Lord (Lk. 19:40) is the ultimate insult to the self-righteous Pharisees. It suggests that inanimate nature understood more about who the Lord was and what He was doing than His critics did. (In modern slang we might express it as, “You guys are dumber than a rock!”) No wonder they seethed with hatred, and wanted to kill Him (vs. 47).

There is also a sad ironic application of Christ’s words in vs. 40. He warned the nation of judgment to come, that an enemy would destroy the city and their beautiful temple, “And they will not leave in you one stone upon another” (vs. 44). This prophecy was fulfilled in AD 70, by the armies of Titus. And today, those fallen stones continue to testify to the truth of Jesus’ words.

(3) For should we fail proclaiming
Our great Redeemer’s praise,
The stones, our silence shaming,
Would their hosannas raise.
But shall we only render
The tribute of our words?
No; while our hearts are tender,
They too shall be the Lord’s.

Questions:

  1. What did the Lord Jesus mean when He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Lk. 18:17)?
  2. Praising the Lord can so easily become a matter of mere form or ritual. What can we do to prevent this?

Links:

It Pays to Serve Jesus

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Words: Frank Claude Huston (b. Sept. 12, 1871; d. Nov. 14, 1959)
Music: Frank Claude Huston

Note: This simple gospel song was written in 1909. Mr. Huston was one of those individuals who had a varied career. He taught school for a year, then became a singer who traveled in evangelistic work. He later served as a pastor in a number of churches in Indiana. Huston also founded a publishing company, that produced both secular and gospel songs.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

As Christians, we are called to serve the Lord, and we are promised heavenly rewards for our service. The Lord Jesus says, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev. 22:12). Even a cup of water given in service for Christ will be duly rewarded (Mk. 9:41).

Frank Huston wrote this gospel song about that entitled, It Pays to Serve Jesus. It was written in two stages. First, the musician composed a melody. Thinking it might be useful in the future, he jotted down the notes on a piece of paper, folded it up and put it in his pocket.

Weeks later, he was asked if he could write a song about how it was rewarding to serve the Lord. He was paying a visit to a friend, 82 year-old M. E. Mick. During their conversation, Mr. Mick suddenly said to Huston, “Brother Huston, you have written so many good songs, won’t you write one for me on the subject we have just been discussing, and call it, ‘It Pays to Serve Jesus’?” Frank interrupted to remind him that there was already a published song bearing that title, whereupon Mick replied, “I know there is, but I think you can write a better one.”

Pondering the possibilities, he thought of the tune he’d created earlier. Pulling the paper from his pocket, he set it on the piano, and the words to fit it seemed to follow easily.

(1) The service of Jesus true pleasure affords,
In Him there is joy without an alloy;
’Tis heaven to trust Him and rest on His words;
It pays to serve Jesus each day.

It pays to serve Jesus, it pays every day,
It pays every step of the way,
Though the pathway to glory may sometimes be drear,
You’ll be happy each step of the way.

(2) It pays to serve Jesus whate’er may betide,
It pays to be true whate’er you may do;
’Tis riches of mercy in Him to abide;
It pays to serve Jesus each day.

(3) Though sometimes the shadows may hang o’er the way,
And sorrows may come to beckon us home,
Our precious Redeemer each toil will repay;
It pays to serve Jesus each day.

The song says, “It pays to serve Jesus each day.” And it certainly does. Our work will be rewarded later, before the Judgment Seat of Christ. But Christian ministry also is rewarding here and now. I can personally testify to that. In the present world, service for Christ brings many joys.

  • The joy of pleasing our Commander (Acts 20:24; Col. 1:10; II Tim. 2:3-4; 4:7).
  • The joy of making an eternal investment in fulfilling work (Matt. 6:19-20; Phil. 3:12-14; cf. Heb. 12:2).
  • The joy of fellowship in the gospel with other servants of Christ (Phil. 1:3-5; II Tim. 1:4).
  • The joy of seeing people blessed, and lives transformed through our service (Phil. 2:2; I Thess. 1:2-3; 2:19-20; III Jn. 1:4).

But there is another side to it. Apart from any reward a gracious God might give us, He is worthy of our service, and fully deserving of all we can offer to Him, just because of who He is. It’s a question of balance. We ought to serve the Lord Jesus simply because He is deserving of all we can render Him. He has granted us the privilege of holy service, and we do so first of all as an act of homage, to His honour and glory.

“Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it….What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut. 10:14, 12). “When you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do’” (Lk. 17:10).

It does pay to serve the Lord. But the Lord is worthy of our faithful service simply because He is the Lord.

Questions:

  1. How are you serving the Lord these days?
  2. Why do you serve the Lord?

Links:

Ten Thousand Angels

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Words: Ray Overholt (b. July 24, 1924; d. Sept. 14, 2008)
Music: Ray Overholt

Note: This gospel song, written in 1958, has an unusual story related to it.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

Ray Overholt was a popular singer song-writer over a period of several decades. He even had his own television show for a time. He married his wife Millie in 1956, and she continued to sing with him and accompany him, over the years.

By his own admission, in the mid-1950s Ray’s life was not a happy one. Working the nightclub circuit, he was drinking heavily and doing other things that he himself felt were wrong. Finally he told his wife he wanted to clean up his life. He wasn’t exactly sure how to do that, but he knew people were praying for him.

Mr. Overholt had written many secular songs, but one day he decided to try his hand at writing something in a religious vein. He took up a Bible to get some ideas–a book he had seldom opened before–and his eye fell on the scene in the garden of Gethsemane.

After taking part in the Passover meal with His disciples, Christ made His way to the garden to pray. Leaving most of the men behind, He took Peter, James and John with Him a little further. Then the Lord proceeded alone to a place where He could pray about the momentous events ahead of Him. In His agony, He submitted Himself to the will of God the Father.

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will”.

Matt. 26:39

Shortly after, when Judas, the betrayer, brought an armed contingent to arrest the Lord Jesus, Peter drew a sword, determined to defend his Master (Jn. 18:10). We’re often critical of Peter. Yet that was a bold impulse–though a futile one. All he managed to do was to cut off one man’s ear. And Christ said to him:

“Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword….Do you think that I cannot now pray My Father, and He will provide Me with more that twelve legions of angels?”.

Matt. 26:52-53

In other words, the Lord was not helpless, either in His own Person, or because of the mighty angelic hosts at His command. He submitted to His captors for a higher purpose. He was going to the cross willingly, to take upon Himself the punishment for our sins (I Cor. 15:3; I Pet. 2:24).

As to the reference to “legions of angels,” Roman legions were composed of anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 men. If that is what the Lord had in mind, it suggests that 72,000 powerful spirit beings were accessible for His defence. Ray Overholt didn’t know at the time what a legion was, but the scene impressed him deeply. More particularly, the person of Christ made an impression on him, and he began reading the Gospels to learn more about Him.

Though still not a believer, based on what he discovered, the musician wrote the song he entitled Ten Thousand Angels.

(1) They bound the hands of Jesus
In the garden where He prayed;
They led Him through the streets in shame.
They spat upon the Saviour so pure and free from sin;
They said, “Crucify Him; He’s to blame.”

He could have called ten thousand angels
To destroy the world and set Him free.
He could have called ten thousand angels,
But He died alone, for you and me.

Some time later, Ray Overholt was asked to sing at a church. I have no idea why a church would want an unsaved nightclub singer to perform there, but that is what happened. The question was, what could he sing for the little congregation? He decided on the only religious song in his repertoire, Ten Thousand Angels.

After Ray Overholt sang, the pastor preached a clear gospel message, and the Spirit of God convicted Ray that he needed saving. He says, “I knew I needed Christ, so I knelt there and accepted, as my Saviour, the One whom I had been singing and writing about.”

Mr. Overholt had been converted, at least in part, by the message of his own song. The tables had turned. The One he had been vaguely seeking and learning about had sought and found him! He went on to many years of ministry, preaching and singing about his Saviour.

(4) To the howling mob He yielded;
He did not for mercy cry.
The cross of shame He took alone.
And when He cried, “It’s finished,”
He gave Himself to die;
Salvation’s wondrous plan was done.

Questions:

  1. Contrast the attitude and feelings of Christ’s followers: at the Triumphal Entry, at the cross, at the empty tomb. What can we learn from this?
  2. The Bible says, “This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son” (I Jn. 5:11). Are you confident today that you are saved? If not, please check out the article God’s Plan of Salvation.

Links:

Ten Thousand Angels (Hymnary.org)

We Rest on Thee

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Words: Edith Gilling Cherry (b. Feb. 9, 1872; d. Aug. 29, 1897)
Music: Finlandia, by Jean Sibelius (full name, Johan Julius Christian Sibelius (b. Dec. 8, 1865; d. Sept. 20, 1957)

Note: Edith Gilling Cherry was a remarkable young woman, and a gifted poet. She died at the age of twenty-five–and much of her poetry was written before she was fifteen. Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the Romantic period. His music is well known and still performed. The dramatic melody from Finlandia is also used for the hymn Be Still, My Soul.

The Wordwise link below will give you a lovely congregational rendition of this hymn, and also a documentary about its link to the martyrdom of the five missionaries in Ecuador, in 1956. Through Gates of Splendor (taken from CH-4), became the title of Elisabeth Elliot’s book recounting this incident.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

In my view, this is a truly great hymn. It has passion and power, doctrinal depth and many biblical allusions. It’s a wonder to me that it isn’t know, loved, and frequently sung by many more congregations.

The song was written around 1895. The phrase, “We rest on Thee” is taken from the account in the King James Version of how King Asa of Judah sought the help of the Lord, when a huge Ethiopian army came against Judah.

“Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, ‘LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!’”

II Chron. 14:11, italics mine

(1) We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.
Strong in Thy strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.

Let me pick out a few of the allusions to Scripture in these lines. There is a triple identification and association mentioned in the hymn. Believers go forward: in the name (authority) of the Lord (3); cf. Ps. 124;8; Col. 3:17), in the strength of the Lord ((1); cf. Exod. 15:2; Ps. 71:16), and in the keeping of the Lord (Exod. 23:20; Ps. 91:11).

Many times the Lord is referred to as the believer’s Shield (e.g. Ps. 3:3; 18:30, 35), and his Defender or defense (e.g. Ps. 62:6; 68:5). He is the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10), our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6; cf. I Cor. 1:30), and our Foundation (I Cor. 3:11). He is also our glorious Prince (Isa. 9:6; Acts 3:15) and our coming King (Rev. 19:16).

(2) Yes, in Thy name, O Captain of salvation!
In Thy dear name, all other names above;
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.
Jesus our Righteousness, our sure Foundation,
Our Prince of glory and our King of love.

(3) We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day Thy grace to know:
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.”
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.”

We recognize “our own great weakness,” and our constant need of daily grace (II Cor. 12:9; cf. 2:16 and 3:5). We encourage our hearts with the fact that “the battle is the Lord’s (I Sam. 17:47). Though we struggle now, in weakness, we’re assured of ultimate victory. Through Christ, and by the power of God, we are victors (I Cor. 15:57; cf. I Chron. 29:11). We look forward to the day when we will be ushered in triumph, through the pearly gates (Rev. 21:21), into the heavenly city.

(4) We rest on Thee, our shield and our defender!
Thine is the battle, Thine shall be the praise;
When passing through the gates of pearly splendour,
Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.
When passing through the gates of pearly splendour,
Victors, we rest with Thee, through endless days.

Questions:

  1. What, to you, is the most encouraging thing about this hymn?
  2. What can you do to encourage the study of this hymn and its wider use? (You may find some helpful ideas here – 77 Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing)

Links:

Sun of My Soul

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Words: John Keble (b. Apr. 25, 1792; d. March 29, 1866)
Music: Hursley, by an unknown composer.

Note: John Keble was elected to the Poetry Professorship at Oxford University, in 1831. His skill as a poet can be seen in this beautiful hymn, written in 1820. It is part of a fourteen stanza poem entitled “Evening.” And while the hymn is wonderful as it is, it gains some force by noting the initial stanza of the poem which speaks of the actual sun in the sky.

‘Tis gone! That bright and orbéd blaze
Fast fading from our wistful gaze;
Yon mantling cloud has hid from sight
The last faint pulse of quivering light!

Hursely Church

Keble’s point is that the physical sun may pass from view, and night descend, but Christ the “Sun of my soul” gives eternal light.

Various compilations of hymns list this one among the top ten in the English language. And the very useful Hymnary.org tells us they found it in 1,184 hymn books. That surely attests to its popularity over the years.

As to the tune, John Keble and his wife selected it for this hymn, and named it Hursley, as that was the parish in England where Keble was vicar for thirty years. (The church is pictured.) The tune was found in the Katholisches Gesangbuch (German Catholic Songbook), where it was the setting for the German Te Deum.

The Cyber Hymnal includes some interesting comments by composer Herbert Oakeley, who considered this tune inadequate and vulgar. (His words.) He calls it “a lively tune, unsuitable to sacred words, [which] often had the effect of driving me out of church.” Really? The tune can hardly be called “lively,” unless it is sung rapidly–which would be totally unsuited to the words.

Further, it is a beautifully crafted melody. Notice how the rising pitch of the second line perfectly suits the urgency of the words in the last couplet of each stanza. Oakeley’s own tune for the hymn (Abends) is fine, but it lacks that dramatic structure. For me, it’s not an improvement.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The hymn was inspired by Luke 24:29. Reference to this incident on the road to Emmaus, and the request that the Lord “abide” with us, is found in (3).

They constrained Him [Christ], saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.

Lk. 24:29

However, poetic imagery of Christ as the sun comes from the prophet Malachi, who prophesies of the coming Messiah:

The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings

Mal. 4:2

(1) Sun of my soul, Thou Saviour dear,
It is not night if Thou be near;
O may no earthborn cloud arise
To hide Thee from Thy servant’s eyes.

(2) When the soft dews of kindly sleep
My wearied eyelids gently steep,
Be my last thought, how sweet to rest
Forever on my Saviour’s breast.

There is a marvelous, and thoroughly biblical, contrast in (3). “Without Thee I cannot live…without Thee I dare not die.” It reminds me of Paul’s declaration, “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Without Christ, life on a spiritually and eternally rewarding plain is impossible, and death is a fearsome prospect. But if to live is Christ, then to die can only be gain.

(3) Abide with me from morn till eve,
For without Thee I cannot live;
Abide with me when night is nigh,
For without Thee I dare not die.

After pleading the necessity of the presence of the Lord in his own life, the author turns his attention, in prayer, to others. There is a prayer for backslidden believers (4), and for those who are sick, or in mourning (5).

The hymn moves to a glorious conclusion with (6), when the believer in eternity is lost–in the positive sense of being submerged in and surrounded by the ocean of God’s love.

(6) Come near and bless us when we wake,
Ere through the world our way we take,
Till in the ocean of Thy love
We lose ourselves in heaven above.

Questions:

  1. What is it about the physical sun and sunlight that provides a picture of what Christ means to us?
  2. One commentator wrote, “Sun of My Soul is one of the finest examples in our language of what a true prayer hymn should be.” Do you agree, or disagree? (And why?)

Links:

Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts

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Words: Bernard of Clairvaux (b. _____, 1091; d. Aug. 21, 1153); English translation, Ray Palmer (b. Nov. 12, 1808; d. March 29, 1887)
Music: Hesperus (also called Quebec), by Henry Baker (b. June 6, 1835; d. Feb. 1, 1910)

Note: The hymn was written around 1150. It is not absolutely certain that Bernard wrote it. However, evidence is sufficient that most hymnals recognize him as the author. There are a number of tunes that suit this beautiful hymn–several mentioned in the Cyber Hymnal. One not found there, which also works well, is Rimington.

A little information on Bernard can be found on the Wordwise link, and on the other links as well. The hymn is taken from the lengthy poem of forty-two four-line stanzas titled, Jesu Dulcis Memoria. Ray Palmer’s translation of the Latin original was published in 1858. Much credit goes to Dr. Palmer for his selection of stanzas to be used and the ordering of them (stanzas 4, 3, 20, 28 and 10 of the original), and for his fine paraphrasing of them.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

This is a truly great and passionate hymn. Historian Philip Schaff calls it “the sweetest and most evangelical hymn of the Middle Ages.” It is the kind of expression we would expect from Bernard, who loved Christ passionately. He wrote, “If thou writest, nothing therein has savour to me unless I read Jesus in it.”

In (1) and (3), Bernard’s hymn gives the Lord Jesus Christ a number of significant titles (identified with capital letters). They are each supported by Scripture. He is the Joy of loving hearts (I Pet. 1:8), the Fount of life (Jn. 11:25)), the Light of men (Jn. 1:4; 8:12), the living Bread (Jn. 6:51), and the Fountainhead (Jn. 7:37-38).

(1) Jesus, Thou Joy of loving hearts,
Thou Fount of life, Thou Light of men,
From the best bliss that earth imparts,
We turn unfilled to Thee again.

The Lord Jesus said, “I am…the truth” (Jn. 14:6), the embodiment of truth, both about God, and about God’s ideal for man. He was also the great Communicator of God’s truth. “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:17), and the Word of God is just as truly the Word of Christ (Col. 3:16). In believing the truth revealed, there is salvation and abundant and joyful life in Him. Jesus said, ““These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (Jn. 15:11).

(2) Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
Thou savest those that on Thee call;
To them that seek Thee Thou art good,
To them that find Thee all in all.

Christ is the Christians supreme Resource, by the will of God the Father, and the agency of the Holy Spirit. “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst’” (Jn. 6:35). And we’re promised, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

(3) We taste Thee, O Thou living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Fountainhead,
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill.

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (I Cor. 1:9). “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory” (I Pet. 1:8). Paul prayed for the Ephesian believers, “That Christ may dwell in [be welcome, and settle down and be at home in] your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love” (Eph. 3:17).

(4) Our restless spirits yearn for Thee,
Wherever our changeful lot is cast;
Glad when Thy gracious smile we see,
Blessed when our faith can hold Thee fast.

The Lord Jesus Himself promised His continuing presence with us. “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). In Christ, there is abiding spiritual light. “He [God the Father] has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Col. 1:13)–who said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (Jn. 8:12).

(5) O Jesus, ever with us stay,
Make all our moments calm and bright;
Chase the dark night of sin away,
Shed over the world Thy holy light.

Questions:

  1. What is it about this outstanding hymn that most impresses you?
  2. Have you found in Christ this kind of joy and fullness? (If not, why not?)

Links:

Jesus Spreads His Banner O’er Us

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Words: Roswell Park (b. Oct. 1, 1807; d. July 16, 1869)
Music: Autumn, by François Hippolyte Barthélémon (b. July 27, 1741; d. July 23, 1808)

Note: This Communion hymn (entitled “The Communion”) was written in 1836. You can learn a bit more about the author in the Wordwise link.

In its use, since it was written, the hymn has been divided in various ways. In general, the first stanza is omitted entirely. This says:

While the sons of earth retiring,
From the sacred temple roam;
Lord, Thy light and love desiring,
To Thine altar fain we come.
Children of our heavenly Father,
Friends and brethren we would be;
While we round Thy table gather,
May our hearts be one in Thee.

The author’s thought was that this was to be the signal for any unsaved present (or backslidden believers perhaps) to leave–“the sons of earth retiring”–so that the more spiritual folks could participate in the Lord’s Supper. Of course it isn’t usually put quite that way. Robert McCutchan says:

“Dr. Park had in mind those churches where the members of the congregation not wishing to partake of the Lord’s Supper are given an opportunity to retire before the invitation [to the Table] is extended” (Our Hymnody, pp. 419-420).

Some churches actually end the worship service, Benediction and all. After that, some leave, and others stay for Communion. I attended a church, when I was a boy, where this was done, and offer a personal opinion of the practice in the Wordwise link below.

Sometimes, the remaining stanzas are split in two. With a tune used that accommodates four-line stanzas, CH-1 becomes one and two, then either the first half, or sometimes the latter half, of (2) becomes the third and final stanza. (Actually, the last four lines of the omitted stanza above would work as an opening stanza in this case.)

If you use the shorter stanzas, many metrical 8.7.8.7 tunes will fit. You could try Evening Prayer (used with Saviour, Breathe an Evening Blessing); Rathbun (used with In the Cross of Christ I Glory); or Wycliff (sometimes used with All for Jesus.).

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

The fourth line of (1) speaks, “Of His mystic flesh and blood.” If this comes too close to the doctrine of consubstantiation, or transubstantiation for you (which many, including myself, do not believe is biblical), you could alter the line to “Symbols of His flesh and blood.” (I’ve changed the line in that way, below.)

This is a service of “remembrance” (I Cor. 11:24, 25), not of some mystical transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. Those who believe the latter, do so on the basis of Christ’s words at the Passover meal when the Lord’s Supper was instituted.

“Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins’”.

Matt. 26:26-28, italics mine

But the Lord Jesus was not offering His body and blood for them to eat. And there are other examples in Scripture of the word “is” identifying a symbol. For example, in explaining the meaning of the parable of the sower (Lk. 8:4-15), Jesus says that “the seed is the word of God” (vs. 11, italics mine). He doesn’t mean the seeds turn into Bibles. He means the seed sown in various kinds of soil represents God’s Word sown in hearts–hearts variously prepared to receive it. (For other examples of “is” used in the sense of represents or pictures, see Rev. 17:18; 19:8).

With the omissions and changes described, I believe this is a reverent and meaningful Communion hymn. I would personally use four four-line stanzas as they are below, sung thoughtfully, probably set to the tune Wycliff.

Children of our heavenly Father,
Friends and brethren we would be;
While we round Thy table gather,
May our hearts be one in Thee.

(1) Jesus spreads his banner o’er us,
Cheers our famished souls with food;
He the banquet spreads before us,
Symbols of His flesh and blood.

Precious banquet, bread of heaven,
Wine of gladness, flowing free;
May we taste it, kindly given,
In remembrance, Lord, of Thee.

(2) In Thy trial and rejection,
In Thy suff’rings on the tree,
In Thy glorious resurrection,
May we, Lord, remember Thee.

Questions:

  1. What do you do (or what does your church do) to make the Lord’s Supper meaningful to participants, and not simply a dry ritual?
  2. What other hymns are particularly appropriate to this ceremony?

Links:

Jesus Is the Sweetest Name I Know

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Words: Lela B. Long (b. _____, 1896; d. _____, 1951)
Music: Lela B. Long

Note: The refrain of this touching gospel song is more widely known than the full text, but it’s good to see that all of it has been included in a number of hymn books. The song has a personal connection to me–albeit a remote one. Dr. Peter Philpott (1865-1957), a fundamentalist pastor, was one of the founders of the Associated Gospel Churches of Canada, an evangelical denomination with which I served for many years. I heard him preach on one occasion, when he was in his eighties.

We know virtually nothing about Lela Long, other than the incident that inspired this hymn. But it is certainly worth recounting.

(Stanza numbers in brackets below refer to the stanza number in The Cyber Hymnal. Find the link at the bottom of the article.)

In 1924 P. W. Philpott was serving as pastor of the great Moody Church in Chicago. One night he was awakened from sleep by a call to come and help a young woman staying at a hotel in the city. He arrived to find her in the company of two family members. The woman, whose name was Lela Long, was gravely ill and in great distress. Dr. Philpott prayed for her physical needs, and had the privilege of leading her to faith in Christ that night.

Late the next day, he phoned the hotel to see how she was doing, only to learn that the three had checked out. He wondered what had become of them, but had no way of getting in touch. For a long time, it remained an unfinished story, but it’s a story that came to a wonderful conclusion.

Several years went by after the events described above. By that time, Peter Philpott was serving as pastor of a large church in Los Angeles. At the close of one service, who should come up to him but the three people he had met in Chicago five or six years previously. They had seen his picture in a church advertisement and had come to meet him.

An emergency had necessitated their rapid departure from Chicago, and they apologized for not getting in touch. The young woman thanked him for pointing her to the Saviour, saying that her life was wonderfully changed, and that she was now using her musical talent to serve the Lord. She handed Pastor Philpott a copy of her song Jesus Is the Sweetest Name I Know, written in 1924, shortly after her conversion. She said, “I have written this especially for you, in remembrance of the day that you introduced me to the most wonderful Person I have ever known.”

The name “Jesus” appears in the New Testament nearly a thousand times, beginning with the first verse of Matthew, and ending with the last verse of the book of Revelation. Can there be any doubt that He is the central theme, the One the writers want to present to us above all.

The name Jesus, Yeshua in Hebrew, means Jehovah [the Lord] is salvation. It was what Joseph was instructed to call the Baby, because “He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:18). It’s a name particularly associated with His saving work (Acts 16:31; I Thess. 5:9; I Tim. 1:15; II Tim.. 2:10; 3:15).

But there is something more. The name “Jesus” is also connected to His incarnation, and His earthly life and ministry, in a broader sense. About two thirds of the times it is used are found in the four Gospels. Thus it is the name of His humble condescension, and of His close friendship and fellowship with us. It still has that feeling for many of us. Though I most often prefer to call Him the Lord Jesus, as believers often did in the days of the early church (e.g. Acts 1:21; 4:33; 7:59; 9:17, 29, etc.), the name “Jesus,” by itself, still has a warmth of intimacy.

In the Song of Solomon, the Shulamite maiden says of her beloved, “Your name is ointment [or perfume] poured forth” (S.S. 1:3). The bridegroom in this romantic poem is King Solomon, and he is often seen as a type or illustration of Christ, with his betrothed providing a picture of the church. Drawing on that secondary application of this oriental poetry we could say that to speak the name of Jesus is like filling the air with fragrant perfume.

It’s interesting that the Word of God tells us that Christ’s sacrifice is, to God the Father, “a sweet-smelling aroma” (Eph. 5:2). And when Christians proclaim the gospel message, and tell others about the Lord Jesus Christ, they too are permeated with this spiritual fragrance attached to the person and work of Christ.

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”

II Cor. 2:14-15

(1) There have been names that I have loved to hear,
But never has there been a name so dear
To this heart of mine, as the name divine,
The precious, precious name of Jesus.

Jesus is the sweetest name I know,
And He’s just the same as His lovely name,
And that’s the reason why I love Him so;
Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Lela Long has used the word “sweet” in one of its accepted meanings–pleasing to the ear. It can also mean lovely, or admirable, as seems to be the sense in many other hymns (e.g. Sweet Hour of Prayer, How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds).

Questions:

  1. “Sweet” is perhaps not a word many would use to describe Jesus today in conversation. If you’re not comfortable with it, what word would you use instead?
  2. How can you be an effective “fragrance of Christ,” today?

Links:

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