Glory to God ‎#215

215. What Wondrous Love Is This

1 What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
what wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

2 When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul!

3 To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
to God and to the Lamb who is the great I AM,
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
while millions join the theme, I will sing!

4 And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
and through eternity I’ll sing on.

Text Information

• First Line: What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul
• Title: What Wondrous Love Is This
• Meter: 12.9.12.12.9
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2013
• Scripture:
  Exodus 13:14
  ;
  Isaiah 53:6
  ;
  John 3:16
  ;
  John 8:58
  ;
  John 15:13
  ;
  Romans 5:8
  ;
  Galatians 3:13
  ;
  Ephesians 3:17-19
  ;
  Philippians 2:6-11
  ;
  1 John 3:1
  ;
  1 John 3:16
  ;
  1 John 4:9-10
  ;
  Revelation 5:12-13
  ;
  Revelation 7:9-10
• Topic: Adoration; Atonement; Christian Year: Palm Sunday; Christian Year: Maundy Thursday; Christian Year: Good Friday; Eternal Life; Jesus Christ: Passion and Death; Love of God for Us
• Source: American folk hymn, c. 1811

Tune Information

• Name: WONDROUS LOVE
• Harmonizer: Carlton R. Young (1965)
• Meter: 12.9.12.12.9
• Key: d minor or modal
• Source: Walker’s Southern Harmony, 1835
• Copyright: Harm. © 1965 Abingdon Press (admin. The Copyright Company)

Text Information:

With its ballad-like repetitions before and after each stanza’s central narrative lines, this meditative text needs performance in order to be effective. Its haunting melody proves the means of convincing us that the only adequate response to “wondrous love” is to “sing on.”