Sunday, October 28, 2007

Hymn of the Week: O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Charles Wesley wrote this hymn to commemorate the first anniversary of his salvation. The hymn has been set to no less than seven different tunes (Azmon is probably the most common, but Lyngham is my favorite) and the poem actually consists of nineteen stanzas. The entire poem can be read here, but here are a few selected stanzas:

Aside: Note how the third stanza, like my previous post, discusses the "name of Jesus."

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.

I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God,
For me, for me He died!

Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.

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