Another hymn from the collection “Olney Hymns”, written by John Newton with poet William Cowper, this collection became quite popular in England and America as it captured the spirit and theology of the Evangelical revival that was happening in those days through the ministries of George Whitefield, the Wesleys, and many others¹. Enjoy the below words and arrangement!

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes our sorrows, heals our wounds,
and drives away our fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole
And calms the troubled breast;
’tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

O Jesus, shepherd, guardian, friend,
My Prophet, Priest, and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

How weak the effort of my heart,
How cold my warmest thought;
But when I see you as you are,
I’ll praise you as I ought.

Till then I would your love proclaim
With every fleeting breath;
And may the music of your name
Refresh my soul in death.

¹challies.com/articles/hymn-stories-how-sweet-the-name-of-jesus-sounds/

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Son of a captain in the British Royal Marines, Joseph Scriven was born in Ireland in 1819. After receiving his university degree from Trinity College in London, he enrolled in a military college to prepare for an army career. However, poor health forced him to give up that ambition, where he became a teacher in his hometown instead. On the night before Scriven’s scheduled wedding, his fiancé drowned. In his deep sorrow, Joseph realised that he could only find the solace and support he needed in his dearest friend, Jesus. After starting a new life in Canada, Scriven experienced more death in his life, losing his second fiancée Eliza Rice. After this, he turned to his faith where he found not just solace, but a mission and he dedicated his life to serve the poor and needy. 10 years later when he found out his mother was ill but could not visit her, he wrote a comforting letter, enclosing the words of the below written poem, with the prayer that these brief lines would remind her of a never failing friend she had in Jesus¹.

What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; you will find a solace there.

¹centerbarnsteadcc.org/the-story-behind-what-a-friend-we-have-in-jesus/

The text of this hymn was originally in Welsh, “Dyma gariad fel y moroedd,” written by William Rees (1802–1883), first published in an addendum to a collection of hymns by William Williams (1717–1791.) By one account, Rees was “one of the most versatile and gifted Welshmen of the nineteenth century and exercised a powerful influence on politics, religion, poetry, and literature in Wales.” Rees’ text played a prominent role in the Welsh revival of 1904–1905, led by evangelist Evan Roberts (1878–1951) of Glamorganshire. As with any great evangelistic movement, its success was closely associated with music and musicians¹.

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Loving-kindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten
Throughout heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me, all Thy love accepting,
Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only,
And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory,
Nothing in the world I see;
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,
Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting
As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and pow’r on me
Without measure, full and boundless,
Drawing out my heart to Thee.

¹hymnologyarchive.com/here-is-love-vast-as-the-ocean

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