At Calvary

 

This hymn is a personal testimony of a prodigal son. All who knew him considered him a "humble man," however that was not how his life began.

William R. Newell was born in 1868 in Sa­van­nah, Ohio. He was the son of a pastor. He grieved his family. His father prayed continually for his son. One day the father wrote a letter to Dr. Torrey, president of Moody Bible Institute.  He wanted his son, Bill, to attend the Institute, but the president felt he could not accept him.

The father continued to write to Dr. Torrey, and because of his persistence the president finally agreed to enroll the boy. There were stipulations though. The rebellious teen had to see Dr. Torrey every day and make effort to abide by the rules and requirements of the Institute.

As time went by, Bill remained as good as his word. He tried desperately to be a good student. He obeyed the rules and stopped by Torrey's office each day if only to say hello. Days became weeks and weeks rolled into months, and small improvements were seen here and there.

Bill became a model student. On his way to class one day, he heard words in his mind and stepped into an unoccupied classroom and began to write describing his testimony. Newell said “As I read what I had written, I realized that it was a word picture of what had happened in my life.”

 He then paid a visit to the Music Director at Moody, Daniel Towner and showed him the words.

Towner started writing the music. “Bill,” said Dr. Towner, “I was so taken with the poem you gave me that I went immediately to my studio and composed a tune. I feel that it could be the best song that either of us will ever write in our lifetime.” The two men sang it together with gratitude to God.

Newell later graduated, and, in time, returned to become a member of the faculty of Moody Bible Institute. He became a well-known Bible teacher through the Midwest and the author of a popular series of Bible commentaries. He once said that if he had not gone through his troubled years, he might never have fully understood the importance of Calvary’s grace.

He never lost the wonder of what God can do with a prodigal.

Daniel Towner was recognized as a teacher, conductor, soloist, composer, and author.  He received his early musical training from his father, J. G. Towner.

In the field of evangelical gospel music, it is said that Towner had few equals. He met D. L. Moody at an evangelistic campaign. Towner trained the choir for those meetings.  From that time forward Towner was associated with Moody. He was the first music director at Moody Bible Institute, for the express purpose of training young people in gospel music leadership. 

He is credited with over 2000 published songs, confining himself to gospel music and male chorus arrangements. . . The following are some of the more popular gospel hymns for which he composed the music: "Trust and Obey," "Grace Greater Than Our Sin," "Saved by The Blood," and "My Anchor Holds."

Dr. Towner was born in Rome, Pennsylvania, in 1850, and died in Chicago in his seventieth year.

Verse One

“Years I spent in vanity and pride,

Caring not my Lord was crucified,

Knowing not it was for me He died,

On Calvary.”

Colossians 1:21-23

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel."

On Theologian-theology.com: Paul notes that the Colossians were "once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds…" There was a relational rift between God and the Colossians, characterized by a hostility they bore toward Him. This hostility might be the Colossians rejection of God’s authority in favor of the powers of darkness. This estrangement and hostility was expressed by their evil deeds. Their deeds demonstrated that they rejected God’s authority insofar as their deeds failed to conform to God’s will. However, Christ has now reconciled them back to God through His death on the cross.”

Verse Two

“By God's Word at last my sin I learned;

Then I trembled at the law I'd spurned,

Till my guilty soul imploring turned,

To Calvary.”

1Timothy 1:12-14

“Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

Biblehub.com, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary: The apostle knew that he would justly have perished, if the Lord had been extreme to mark what was amiss; and also if His grace and mercy had not been abundant to him when dead in sin, working faith and love to Christ in his heart. This is a faithful saying; these are true and faithful words, which may be depended on, That the Son of God came into the world, willingly and purposely to save sinners.

Verse Three

“Now I've given to Jesus everything,

Now I gladly own Him as my King,

Now my raptured soul can only sin,

Of Calvary!”

Psalm 104:33-34

“I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord.”

Biblehub.com, Barnes Notes on the Bible: The result of the psalmist’s meditations on the wonderful works of God is to awaken in his mind a desire to praise God forever. . . He who has any proper sense of the greatness, the majesty, and the glory of God ‘intends’ to praise Him forever. He sees that there is enough in the character of God to demand eternal praise.

Verse Four

“Oh, the love that drew salvation's plan!

Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!

Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span, 

At Calvary!”

Ephesians 2:4-5

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Christianity.com: God's eternal love or good-will toward His creatures, is the fountain whence all His mercies flow to us; and that love of God is great love, and that mercy is rich mercy . . . The grace that saves is the free, undeserved goodness and favor of God . . . Grace in the soul is a new life in the soul.”

Refrain

“Mercy there was great, and grace was free;

Pardon there was multiplied to me;

There my burdened soul found liberty,

At Calvary.”

Studylight.org: God has loved you from eternity; there has never been a time when God didn't love you. There will never be a time when God doesn't love you.

  

 I am indebted to the following resources:

Dianaleighmatthew.com

Templebaptistkokomo.com; Dr. Jim Willoughby

Hymnologist Kenneth Osbeck

Staugustine.com

A Song in My Heart, Robert J. Morgan

Wholesomewords.org

The Complete Book of Hymns by William J. Petersen and Ardythe Petersen

Hymnologyarchive.com

By His Grace . . .

Face to Face

 

Ordinary people do extra ordinary things all the time. The writer of this hymn, Carrie Breck, was an ordinary housewife. She couldn’t carry a tune and had no natural sense of pitch at all. She was not well educated, but enjoyed writing. She loved to write poetry. She said: “I penciled verses under all conditions: over a mending basket, with a baby on my arm, and sometimes even when sweeping or washing dishes.”

She was mostly known as Mrs. Frank Breck in accordance with the older custom of using your husband’s name.

During her life, Breck wrote more than two thousand poems. One of them was “Face to Face.”

It really does happen just like that. God uses ordinary people with His love in their heart, to honor and serve Him.

Mrs. Breck lived most of her life with her husband and five daughters in Portland, Oregon. She was known as a deeply committed Christian and a life-long Presbyterian.  She said: "My mind moved in poetic meter.” She had a keen sense of rhythm and loved music.

When she finished the poem, she sent it to Grant Tullar, a friend who lived in Rutherford, NJ.

Grant Colfax Tullar, a musician, was attending an evangelistic seminar held in New Jersey. During the meetings, the people assisting the meetings gathered in a pastor’s house for a snack. Tullar was known to like a certain jelly, so the pastor and his wife handed him an almost empty jar. He is reported to have said, “So, this is all for me, is it?”

It was this incident that inspired Tullar to compose the words and music to a new hymn. The hymn went: “All for me the Savior suffered…all for me He bled and died.” Later that night the congregation sang this new song. Unfortunately, it was not enthusiastically received.

The following day, the musician received Mrs. Breck’s letter. After reading the poem Tullar saw that no words of her poem nor his music needed to be changed. The Architect had planned both of them so perfectly, that from that day on, “Face to Face” has been winning its way into hearts and lives all over the world.

“Face to Face” is a beautiful piece that speaks eloquently about the anticipation of meeting face to face with our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 Verse 1

“Face to face with Christ, my Savior, Face to face what will it be?

When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ Who died for me?”

1 Corinthians 13:12

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”

On Studylight.org, the Bridgeway Bible Commentary: In the present world Christians have only a limited understanding of eternal things. Their view of the age to come is unclear. When face to face with Christ they will know these things clearly, just as God knows them clearly. The important issue for Christians is not the display of their spiritual gifts, but the exercise of faith, hope, and above all, love.

Verse 2

“Only faintly now I see Him, With the darkened veil between;

But a blessed day is coming, When His glory shall be seen.”

Titus 2:13

“While we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

ApplyGodswords.com says: According to the Bible, the Glory of God is displayed supremely in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To help answer the question, “What is the glory of God?” we must emphasize the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is central to the glory of God because the gospel reveals more about God than any other act in history. God reveals himself through his actions, and through the actions of the cross and resurrection we can see the character of God more clearly than anywhere else. “ 

Verse 3

“What rejoicing in His presence, When are banished grief and pain;

When the crooked ways are straightened, And the dark things shall be plain.”

Revelation 19:7

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready.”

Studylight.org says: Imagine the millions upon millions of Christians that will be gathered in that glorious assembly and when the voice of the Lord comes exhorting us to praise God and give glory to Him, and in our response to it that tremendous praise, crescendo of praise that will arise. And John heard it as the voice of many waters or rushing waters and the voice of mighty thunderings . . . Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him.

Verse 4

“Face to face, oh, blissful moment! Face to face to see and know;

Face to face with my Redeemer, Jesus Christ Who loves me so.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Biblestudytools.com says: Jesus says ‘" love you" by inviting us to be with Him forever. Jesus shows us His love by inviting us to His eternal home and welcoming us. Jesus says "I love you" by caring for us. Jesus watches us day and night. He fights for us like the shepherd fights off wolves from the sheep.

Jesus says "I love you" by changing our hearts. Jesus promised His disciples that they would not be alone when He left. He knew that they would miss Him and He promised them the comfort of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit when we ask Jesus into our hearts.

The greatest love story ever told is the one of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins. He has made a way for us to enter the throne room and live eternal life with Him in Paradise. There is no greater love than the love of Jesus.

Refrain

“Face to face I shall behold Him, Far beyond the starry sky;

Face to face in all His glory, I shall see Him by and by!”

Charles Spurgeon said: “By faith, we see a poor reflection as in a mirror the image of His endless treasures. But when we finally see these heavenly blessings themselves with our own eyes, how deep will be the streams of fellowship in which our souls will soak! Oh what a blessed time that will be when we will have risen above every meaningless earthly cause and will rest upon the arm of God alone!

I think of the hymn “My Savior First of All” by Fanny Crosby and share these words in verse two:

“Oh, the soul thrilling rapture when I view His blessed face,

And the luster of His kindly beaming eye;

How my full heart will praise Him for the mercy, love, and grace,

That prepared for me a mansion in the sky.”

We all long for that day when we will see Jesus face to face. It is our hope. It is our reason to continue onward in our walk with Christ.

 

I am indebted to the following resources:

101 More Hymn Stories, Kenneth W. Osbeck

Christianmusicandhymns.com

Look Unto Me, Charles Spurgeon

Liberty Bible Commentary

Charles Spurgeon Devotional, Look Unto Me

ApplyGodswords.com

Thegospelcoalition.org

Studylight.org

Biblestudytools.com

By His Grace . . .

And Can It Be

 

"And Can It Be" is a favorite hymn of mine. The words and the music inspire me. This hymn was written by Charles Wesley, 1707–1788, brother of John. They were the founding figures of Methodism. Charles was a well-known hymn writer of more than 6,000 hymns. Wesley wrote this hymn to celebrate his conversion to Christianity.

Charles Wesley was born just before Christmas in 1707. He was premature and neither cried nor opened his eyes. His mother, Susanna, kept him tightly wrapped in wool until his actual due date, whereupon he opened his eyes and cried. Charles was the eighteenth child of Susanna Wesley and Samuel Wesley.

Wesley had religious training at home. He learned the Bible well but did not yet experience affirmation of new birth or the wholeness of grace in his life. At age eight, he was taken to London to attend Westminster School.

At thirteen, he became a King’s Scholar at Westminster University in London. Upon graduating, Charles enrolled at Oxford University. He was nineteen and full of life. He later said, "My first year of college was lost in diversions."

During his second year at Oxford, he grew serious about spiritual things. Neither he nor his brother, John, had yet received Christ as Savior, but they began seeking to live the Christian life.

While in college at Oxford, Charles and two friends started a small religious group on religious self-discipline. They had lengthy devotions, exhorting each other to live piously and do good works. They took food to poor families, visited lonely people in prison and taught orphans how to read. After college, Charles went as a missionary to Native Americans, but he was still not converted. With spiritual despair and physical exhaustion, he returned to England. He had no peace in his heart.

One day in 1738, he met with a group of Moravians in Aldersgate Hall in London. There he came to realize that salvation was by faith alone. While convalescing in the home of John Bray, a poor mechanic, he heard a voice saying, “In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, arise, and believe, and thou shalt be healed of all thy infirmities.” The voice was most likely Mr. Bray’s sister who felt commanded to say these words in a dream.

Anglican hymn writer Timothy Dudley-Smith notes that the following then happened: "Charles got out of bed and opening his Bible read from the Psalms, chapter 40, verse 3: 'He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God,' followed by the first verse of Isaiah 40, 'Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.' Charles wrote in his journal, 'I have found myself at peace with God, and rejoice in the hope of love in Christ.'"

Charles wrote in his diary: “I labored, waited and prayed to feel who loved me, and gave Himself for me. At midnight I gave myself to Christ, assured that I was safe, whether sleeping or waking. I had the continual experience of His power to overcome all temptation, and I confessed with joy and surprise that He was able to do exceedingly abundantly for me above what I can ask or think . . . I now found myself at peace with God and rejoice in hope of loving Christ.”

According to The Oxford Edition of the Works of John Wesley, "And Can It Be" was written immediately after the conversion of Charles Wesley.  

Charles felt renewed strength to spread the gospel to ordinary people and it was around then that he began to write the poetic hymns for which he would become known.

Wesley was the beloved musician of the Methodist Church. This hymn is considered one of the best-loved of Wesley’s hymns. It carries the themes of conversion, love, grace and forgiveness.

Early publications of "And Can It Be" set the hymn to a variety of tunes. One of the first settings was to the tune Surrey, composed by the songwriter and dramatist, Henry Carey.

Today the hymn is most commonly sung to the tune Sagina (Pearlwort) which was composed by Yorkshireman, Thomas Campbell, 1800-1876.

“The exultant melody titled ‘Sagina’ was composed by Thomas Campbell, a wandering, well-known Scottish poet. Sagina borrows its name from the pink family of herbs, which includes baby’s breath and the carnation. Sing this tune vigorously and in parts, especially at the refrain."

"Thomas Campbell, born in Sheffield, Yorkshire in 1800, died in Sheffield in 1876. In 1825 he published The Bouquet, a collection of tunes composed and adapted to Wesley's Hymns which included 23 tunes, all of which were given botanical names. The most well-known is Sagina (Pearlwort), a small plant in the pink family)." (From Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland by Robert Evans and Maggie Humphreys)

Joni Eareckson Tada described this hymn as the doctrine of salvation set to music.

Wesley starts the first stanza by expressing admiration over the love shown by Jesus dying for Him and wonders how we who "pursued" His death are now graced by it. It is a mystery that we who caused His death now benefit from it.

The sacrifice of Christ on the cross of Calvary arose out of the heart of God filled with the love of God.  Circumstances did not bring Christ to the cross, the divine plan of God did. The wonder and amazement at the redemptive act of God and His offering of free grace to all is emphasized by the repeated phrase “for me” in lines three and four.

Verse One

“And can it be that I should gain,

 An int'rest in the Savior's blood?

Died He for me, who caused His pain?

 For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, should die for me!"

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

From the Liberty Bible Commentary: God demonstrated His love by sending Christ Jesus to die for us while we were yet sinners, something no one else would even consider doing. The sacrifice of Christ on the cross of Calvary arose out of the heart of God filled with the love of God. All these blessings are ours because at some point in the past, without our help, we have been justified by God and are now being treated as if we were righteous.

In the second stanza, Wesley recounts the infinite grace and mercy of Christ’s love and humility in the incarnation, death, and finding of lost sinners.  The last line makes it very personal.

Verse Two

“He left His Father's throne above,

 So free, so infinite His grace;

Emptied Himself of all but love,

 And bled for Adam's helpless race;

'Tis mercy all, immense and free; For, O my God, it found out me. “

Philippians 2:7

“He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

From the Liberty Bible Commentary: He emptied Himself . . . He did not and could not cease to be God when He was made flesh (John 1:14). His deity remained throughout the whole course of His self-imposed humiliation. He gave up something that was His . . . He did not empty something from Himself, but He emptied Himself from . . . the form of God . . . He veiled Himself with humanity.

In the third stanza, Wesley harkens to the "imprisonment" of his own sin and the freedom he found in Christ. Wesley borrows a line from a popular story of romantic fiction from his day, Eloisa to Abelard  by Alexander Pope, 1688-1744, “Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,” to symbolize God’s love and power coming down to release the captives. (The Canterbury Dictionary).

Verse Three

“Long my imprisoned spirit lay,

Fast bound in sin and nature's night;

Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,

 I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;

My chains fell off, my heart was free; I rose, went forth and followed Thee.”

Psalm 107:10

“Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron.”

From The Spurgeon Library: They are hard pressed. "Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble." Why did they not do so before? Because people do not begin to pray to God as long as they have any hope. But when all hope is gone, then comes the first real living, agonizing cry to heaven; and no sooner is that heard than God answers it.

Finally, Wesley reviews the results of Christ’s loving and merciful work: there is no condemnation for those made alive in Christ and clothed in His righteousness; rather, there is open access to the throne as we have the right to claim the divine crown.  Wesley speaks of the present justification we now have in Christ and our future glorification in the life to come.

Verse Four

“No condemnation now I dread;

Jesus, and all in Him is mine!

Alive in Him, my living Head,

And clothed in righteousness divine,

Bold I approach th'eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own."

Hebrews 10:19-22

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having a high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

WordAtWork.org and Beacon Light: This passage is talking about the newfound confidence that those who trust in Jesus have to enter into His presence . . . When Jesus died, that temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. It was a picture that said Jesus has removed the barrier between us and God by His body. Jesus, the great high priest, grants access to God through the curtain of His body . . . This gives the Christian a great and secure hope for the future, until we finally meet Him face to face when we die, or on "the Day" when He returns.

This hymn celebrates personal salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus, and is one of the most popular hymns today. Amazing love, how can it be? Because God first loved us!

 Refrain

"Amazing love! how can it be,

That Thou, my God, should die for me!

 

I am indebted to the following resources:

The Complete Book of Hymns, William J Petersen and Ardyth Peterson

The Oxford Edition of the Works of John Wesley

Umcdisicipleship.org

Robert J. Morgan

The Canterbury Dictionary

The One Year Christian History Devotional, E. Michael and Sharon Rusten

Thegospelcoalition.org; Justin Taylor

Enduringword.com

Psalter Hymnal Handbook, 1988

Thegospelcoalition.org

By His Grace . . .

Fairest Lord Jesus

 

This lovely hymn, extolling the beauty and virtues of Christ, leads us to the praise and worship of our “Beautiful Savior.” The vivid comparison of all the enjoyable sights of nature with Jesus, who is the very source and essence of all beauty, fill us with awe.  Then we are reminded that our Savior outshines all creations of God including the hosts of angels. How worthy He is of the deepest “glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore!”

Some historians believe the song may date back to the 12th Century when it was sung by the German crusaders as they made their long, dangerous and wearisome journey to the Holy Land. For this reason, it is referred to as the Crusader’s Hymn.

Another source claims that this was one of the hymns used by the followers of John Hus. These were Moravian believers who were driven out of Bohemia in the bloody anti-Reformation purge of 1620. They settled in Silesia, now a part of Poland.

The hymn first appeared in 1677 in a Jesuit hymnbook The text of the hymn was also found in a manuscript dating back to 1662. The origin of the words remains a mystery.

Who translated into English? A mystery. The first three stanzas are the work of an anonymous translator.

Whatever the actual origin of the hymn, Christians for centuries have been blessed with this worshipful and joyful text, which focuses our view on the fair Son of God who reveals to us the glory of the Father. 

Whoever wrote the words to this hymn was close to nature and adored God’s creation but recognized that even fairer than the creation is the Creator.

Richard Storrs Willis, composer of this hymn, was born in 1819 in Boston and was the son of a deacon. After attending Boston Latin School and Yale University, he moved to Germany to study music. There he became friends with Felix Mendelssohn. Returning home, Willis became the music critic for the New York Tribune and a noted music publisher. He’s best remembered for two beautiful melodies often heard in churches around the world—the tune for the Christmas carol “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” and the melody for the great German Catholic hymn “Fairest Lord Jesus.”

Verse One

“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!”

John 5:20-23

“For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

Biblehub.com, Barnes' Notes on the Bible: To honor is to esteem, reverence, praise, and do homage too. We honor one when we ascribe to him in our hearts, and words, and actions the praise and obedience which are due to him. We honor God when we obey Him and worship Him aright. We honor the Son when we esteem Him to be as He is; when we have right views and feelings toward Him. As He is declared to be God, as He here says He has power and authority equal with God, so we honor Him when we regard Him as such.

Studylight.org, Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible: That all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. No stronger statement of the deity of Christ appears in Scripture. How is God honored? By the soul’s purest adoration and worship. That is the way Christ should be honored. These words are equivalent to Jesus’ saying, "I am God and am entitled to all the honor belonging to the Father?"

Verse Two

“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!”

Psalm 77:6

"I will remember my song in the night; I will meditate with my heart, And my spirit ponders.”

Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: The idea is, that there had been times in his life when, even in darkness and sorrow, he could sing; when he could find things for which to praise God; when he could find something that would cheer him; when he could take some bright views of God adapted to calm down his feelings, and to give peace to his soul. He recalls those times and scenes to his remembrance, with a desire to have those cheerful impressions renewed; and he asks himself what it was which then comforted and sustained him. He endeavors to bring those things back again, for if he found comfort then, he thinks that he might find comfort from the same considerations now.

Psalm 104:10-18

“He sends forth springs in the valleys; They flow between the mountains; They give drink to every beast of the field; The wild donkeys quench their thirst. Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; They lift up their voices among the branches. He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works. He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the labor of man, So that he may bring forth food from the earth, And wine which makes man’s heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, And food which sustains man’s heart. The trees of the Lord drink their fill, The cedars of Lebanon which He planted, Where the birds build their nests, And the stork, whose home is the fir trees. The high mountains are for the wild goats; The cliffs are a refuge for the shephanim [small, shy, furry animals].”

Biblestudytools.com, John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible: A psalm of David concerning the constitution of the world . . . it treats of the creation of all things, of the heavens and the earth, and of all creatures in them; and of the providence of God in taking care of them. Christ is the divine Person addressed and described throughout the whole.

 Verse Three

“Fair is the sunshine, Fairer still the moonlight,

And all the twinkling starry host;

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,

Than all the angel's heaven can boast!”

 Isaiah 40:26

“Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.”

Biblehub.com, Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible: Lift up your eyes on high . . . From the earth, and the inhabitants of it, even those of the greatest power and influence in it, to the heavens above, those that are visible to the eye: and behold who hath created these things; that are seen in the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars; consider the Creator of them, what a glorious Being He must be; what power He must be possessed of; what dazzling light He must dwell in; what glory and majesty He must be clothed with.

1 Corinthians 15:41

“There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.”

Studylight.org, Clarkes Commentary: There is one glory of the sun — As if He had said: This may be illustrated by the present appearance of the celestial bodies which belong to our system. The sun has a greater degree of splendor than the moon; the moon than the planets; and the planets than the stars. And even in the fixed stars, one has a greater degree of splendor than another, which may proceed either from their different magnitudes, or from the comparative proximity of some of them to our earth.

 Verse Four

“All fairest beauty, Heavenly and earthly,

Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;

None can be nearer Fairer, or dearer,

Than Thou my Savior art to me.”

 Ephesians 2:13

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: Those Gentiles who are now in Christ Jesus are no longer far off. They are made near to the things of God, and the blood of Christ accomplishes this, by His sacrificial death . . . This coming near happens only by the blood of Christ. Gentiles who are not in Christ Jesus are just as far off as they ever were. This reconciliation only happens in Jesus.

Dailyverse.knowing-Jesus.com: Before we were born again into the family of God, we were without Christ, without a heavenly citizenship, without a covenant relationship, without God's promises, without access to the throne of grace, and without hope in the world . . . But NOW through the blood of Christ, all restrictions in approaching our Creator have been lifted and all barriers to our Father have been removed . . . Let us live our lives as unto to the Lord, for He alone is worthy of our praise and thanks.

Psalm 145:18

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”

Bibliaplus.org: The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him - There is a sense in which He is “nigh” to all, for He is everywhere present; but there is a special sense in which He seems to be near to us; in which He manifests Himself to us; in which He gives us evidence of His presence. It is in prayer, in praise, in His ordinances - in His gracious interpositions on our behalf - in the peace and joy which we have in communion with Him.

This hymn has stood the test of time for over three hundred years and will continue to be used. The tune enchants the heart, and the text transcends time. What could be more beautiful than meadows in springtime, sun beams, or twinkling stars? Jesus, our “Ruler of all nature.” He “shines purer than all the angels heaven can boast”!

I am indebted to the following Resources:

Kenneth W. Osbeck, Amazing Grace

Robert J. Morgan, Then Sings My soul, Special Edition

The One Year Book of Hymns, William J. Petersen and Randy Peterson

Umcdiscipleship.org, Hannah Cruse 

By His Grace . . .

The Love of God

 

"The Love of God," written by Frederick Lehman, describes and glorifies the love of our heavenly Father and His beloved Son. Lehman reminds us that the love of God will "forevermore endure" and always be with us!

Lehman emigrated to America with his family at age four, settling in Iowa, where he lived most of his childhood. He came to Christ at age 11, as he relates:

“One glad morning about eleven o’clock while walking up the country lane, skirted by a wild crab-apple grove on the right, and a fence with an old white-elm gate in a gap at the left, suddenly Heaven let a cornucopia of glory descend on the eleven-year-old lad. The wild crab-apple grove assumed a heavenly glow. That old white-elm gate with its sun-warped boards gleamed and glowed like silver bars to shut out the world and shut him in with the ’form of the fourth,’ just come into his heart. The weight of conviction was gone, and a song of joy and praise fell from his lips.”

Lehman studied for the ministry at Northwestern College in Naperville, Illinois, and pastored at Audubon, Iowa; New London, Indiana; and Kansas City, Missouri. The majority of his life was devoted to writing sacred songs; his first was written while a pastor in Kingsley, Iowa, in 1898. He wrote and published hundreds of songs and compiled five songbooks. In 1911, he moved to Kansas City, where he helped found the Nazarene Publishing House."

Lehman tells this story of the writing of the hymn: “While at camp meeting in a mid-western state, some fifty years ago in our early ministry, an evangelist climaxed his message by quoting the last stanza of this song. The profound depths of the lines moved us to preserve the words for future generations.” This hymn came after a challenging time in the life of the author. He had just lost his business after some of his business deals had gone sour.

Continuing, Lehman wrote: “Not until we had come to California did this urge find fulfillment, and that at a time when circumstances forced us to hard manual labor. One day, during short intervals of inattention to our work, we picked up a scrap of paper and, seated upon an empty lemon box pushed against the wall, with a stub pencil, added the first two stanzas and chorus of the song. The lyrics flowed through his heart. Before their paint brushes had obliterated them, one of the men jotted them down and thus they were preserved."

The third verse was found on the wall of a prison cell but was actually written nearly one thousand years ago by a Jewish songwriter named Rabbi Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai.

Rabbi Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai wrote a lengthy poem, “Hadamut,” which extolled God. Later that same year the crusaders invaded the city and murdered all the Jewish people. While we don’t know for sure about the rabbi, he was probably one of their victims as well.

George Beverly Shea wrote: “It never ceases to amaze how God uses people from all walks of life and from different circumstances to bring the message of His love to the world. Lehman and the writer of the third stanza never knew each other. They lived in different times and under different circumstances. Yet they had one consuming message—God’s love—which is found in this wonderful hymn."

Rev. Lehman, a German gentile, died in Pasadena, California in 1953. He had written hundreds of gospel songs over the course of his life.

“The Love of God” remains for all who are willing to accept it and the song lingers for future generations to discover and love. Many hymnals carry the song within their pages.

Verse One

“The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell.

The wandering child is reconciled by God's beloved Son.

The aching soul again made whole, and priceless pardon won.”

2 Corinthians 5:18

“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Biblehub.com, Benson Commentary: The gospel ministry, offering reconciliation and peace with God to all mankind, and ensuring these privileges to all the truly penitent that believe in Jesus . . . Freely forgiving all their sins. 

Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: The word "us" here includes, doubtless, all who were Christians - whether Jews or Gentiles, or whatever was their rank. They had all been brought into a state of reconciliation, or agreement with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Studylight.com, Bridgeway Commentary: Before he became a Christian, Paul had judged Jesus by the standards of the ordinary person of the world, and in so doing had judged him wrongly. Now he no longer judges Jesus, or anyone else, from a merely human standpoint, because in Christ he sees everything in a new light . . . This changing from the old to the new is done by God through Jesus Christ. It is part of the total work that God does as he reconciles people to Himself and turns sinners into His friends. Having reconciled them, God then sends them out to preach the message of reconciliation to others, so that other sinners might be brought to God.

Verse Two

“When ancient time shall pass away, and human thrones and kingdoms fall;

When those who here refuse to pray on rocks and hills and mountains call;

God’s love so sure, shall still endure, all measureless and strong;

Grace will resound the whole earth round—the saints’ and angels’ song.”

1 Peter 1:25

“But the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the Word which was preached to you.”

Biblehub.com, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible: Endureth forever - Is unmoved, fixed, permanent. Amidst all the revolutions on earth, the fading glories of natural objects, and the wasting strength of man, His truth remains unaffected. Its beauty never fades; its power is never made weak. The gospel system is as lovely now as it was when it was first revealed to man, and it has as much power to save as it had when first applied to a human heart. We see the grass wither at the coming on of autumn; we see the flower of the field decay; we see man, though confident in his strength, and rejoicing in the rigor of his frame, cut down in an instant; we see cities decline, and kingdoms lose their power: but the Word of God is the same now that it was at first, and, amidst all the changes which may ever occur on the earth, that will remain the same.

Verse Three

“Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made;

Were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill, and everyone a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.”

Psalm 74:17a

"You have established all the boundaries of the earth.”

Pbnradio.com: We can imagine this poet [the Rabbi who wrote the third verse] standing on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, contemplating the great love of his Jehovah. His heart is moved by the fires of inspiration. As the love of God sweeps over Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai's soul, his imagination fills the ocean with ink, the arching skies seem to magnify the scope of this all-compelling love, and the papyrus marsh comes to life with countless scribes writing ceaselessly and tirelessly about the measureless love of God.

Psalm 19:1

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”

Enduringword.com, David Guzik: David looked to the heavens – not the spiritual heaven where God is enthroned, but the heavens of the blue sky and the night sky – and he clearly saw the glory of God declared . . . He could see it in the blue sky, with the glory of the sun and clouds and the beauty of sunrises and sunsets . . .  He could see it in the night sky, with the brightness of the moon, the awe of the starry sky and the cloudy spread of the distant galaxies . . . These together – with their size, their awe, their grandeur – shouted to David and all who would see, “The God who created all this is glorious, and this is evidence of His glory . . . He is glorious in His size, having created something so big . . . He is glorious in His engineering, having created something that works together so well . . . He is glorious in His artistry, having created something so beautiful . . . · He is glorious in His goodness and kindness, having created something for all humanity to see.”

2 Thessalonians 3:5

“May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.”

Studylight.org, Clarke’s Commentary: The love of God is the grand motive and principle of obedience; this must occupy your hearts: the heart is irregular in all its workings; God alone, by His Spirit, can direct it into His love, and keep it right; give a proper direction to all its passions, and keep them in order, regularity and purity.

Studylight.org, Dr. Constable's Expository Notes: He prayed that God would give these brothers and sisters a greater appreciation of God’s love for them and of Christ’s steadfastness in the midst of His earthly afflictions. He wanted this so their love and patient endurance might increase.

Refrain

“O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure—

The saints’ and angels’ song.”

DesiringGod.org, John Piper: What is the love of God? What is it to be loved by God? The answer is: God sustains and exalts His holiness for your enjoyment forever. That’s the love of God. The love of God is His passion to sustain and uphold and exalt His holiness and His Son for your everlasting enjoyment. 

A Scripture verse to remember” “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

  

I am indebted to the following resources:

Godtube Staff

Dianaleighmatthew.com

Hymnary.org

Godtube.com. Frederick M. Lehman

Sermoncentral.com, Jeff Simms 

By His Grace . . .