My Saviour’s Love (Quick Thoughts on a Hymn)

This song was written by Charles Gabriel in 1905. Gabriel grew up on a farm in Iowa, where he taught himself to play the family’s pump organ. With his great musical gifts, by the age of 16 he was conducting singing schools. He went on to create both words and music for many songs, and edited a number of song books. Charles Gabriel was the most popular gospel song writer of the Billy Sunday era (around 1910-1920). Sometimes he published hymns under the pen name Charlotte G. Homer.

The song in question, which depicts the scene in Gethsemane, begins, “I stand amazed in the presence / Of Jesus the Nazarene, / And wonder how He could love me, / A sinner, condemned, unclean.” Some hymn books omit the third verse of this hymn (based on Luke 22:43): “In pity angels beheld Him, / And came from the world of light / To comfort Him in the sorrows / He bore for my soul that night.”

Now, a personal opinion from a long-time song leader. This beautiful hymn is difficult to handle properly. The reason is the tune is so singable. It just gallops along, seeming to pick up speed as it goes. However, a bouncy, sprightly style is totally at odds with many of the lyrics. Gabriel is depicting one of the most solemn and awesome moments in the life of Christ–when He agonized over the terrible weight of sin He was to bear.

To me it borders on blasphemy to race along in a jolly way with, “For me it was in the garden / He prayed, “Not My will, but Thine;” / He had no tears for His own griefs / But sweat drops of blood for mine.” I prefer to slow things down, and have the congregation sing this hymn quietly and prayerfully. (If you have folks who can carry a part, why not try singing at least a verse without the instrumental accompaniment.) Then, the tempo and the volume can be picked up for the last verse, “When with the ransomed in glory…etc.” As I say, a personal opinion!