Samuel Medley

Samuel Medley
Short Name: Samuel Medley
Full Name: Medley, Samuel, 1738-1799
Birth Year: 1738
Death Year: 1799

Medley, Samuel, born June 23, 1738, at Cheshunt, Herts, where his father kept a school. He received a good education; but not liking the business to which he was apprenticed, he entered the Royal Navy. Having been severely wounded in a battle with the French fleet off Port Lagos, in 1759, he was obliged to retire from active service. A sermon by Dr. Watts, read to him about this time, led to his conversion. He joined the Baptist Church in Eagle Street, London, then under the care of Dr. Gifford, and shortly afterwards opened a school, which for several years he conducted with great success. Having begun to preach, he received, in 1767, a call to become pastor of the Baptist church at Watford. Thence, in 1772, he removed to Byrom Street, Liverpool, where he gathered a large congregation, and for 27 years was remarkably popular and useful. After a long and painful illness he died July 17, 1799. Most of Medley's hymns were first printed on leaflets or in magazines (the Gospel Magazine being one). They appeared in book form as:—

(1) Hymns, &c. Bradford, 1785. This contains 42 hymns. (2) Hymns on Select Portions of Scripture by the Rev. Mr. Medley. 2nd ed. Bristol. W. Pine. 1785. This contains 34 hymns, and differs much from the Bradford edition both in the text and in the order of the hymns. (3) An enlargement of the same in 1787. (4) A small collection of new Hymns, London, 1794. This contains 23 hymns. (5) Hymns. The Public Worship and Private Devotion of True Christians Assisted in some thoughts in Verse; principally drawn from Select Passages of the Word of God. By Samuel Medley. London. Printed for J. Johnson. 1800. A few of his hymns are also found in a Collection for the use of All Denominations, published in London in 1782.

Medley's hymns have been very popular in his own denomination, particularly among the more Calvinistic churches. In Denham's Selections there are 48, and in J. Stevens's Selections, 30. Their charm consists less in their poetry than in the warmth and occasional pathos with which they give expression to Christian experience. In most of them also there is a refrain in the last line of each verse which is often effective. Those in common use include:—
1. Come, join ye saints, with heart and voice. (1800). Complete in Christ.
2. Death is no more among our foes. Easter.
3. Eternal Sovereign Lord of all. (1789). Praise for Providential Care.
4. Far, far beyond these lower skies. (1789). Jesus, the Forerunner.
5. Father of mercies, God of love, whose kind, &c. (1789.) New Year.
6. Great God, today Thy grace impart. Sermon.
7. Hear, gracious God! a sinner's cry. (1789). Lent.
8. In heaven the rapturous song began. Christmas.
9. Jesus, engrave it on my heart. (1789). Jesus, Needful to all.
10. Mortals, awake, with angels join. (1782). Christmas.
11. My soul, arise in joyful lays. (1789). Joy in God.
12. Now, in a song of grateful praise. Praise to Jesus. In the Gospel Magazine, June, 1776.
13. O could I speak the matchless worth. (1789.) Praise of Jesus.
14. O for a bright celestial ray. Lent.
15. O God, Thy mercy, vast and free. (1800). Dedication of Self to God.
16. O let us tell the matchless love. Praise to Jesus.
17. O what amazing words of grace. (1789). Foutain of Living Waters.
18. Saints die, and we should gently weep. (1800). Death and Burial. From his "Dearest of Names, Our Lord and King."
19. See a poor sinner, dearest Lord. Lent.
20. Sing the dear Saviour's glorious fame. (1789). Jesus the Breaker of bonds.
In 1800 a Memoir of Medley was published by his son, which is regarded by members of the family now living as authoritative. But in 1833 appeared another Memoir by Medley's daughter Sarah, to which are appended 52 hymns for use on Sacramental occasions. These she gives as her father's. But 8 of them are undoubtedly by Thos. Kelly, published by him in 1815, and reprinted in subsequent editions of his Hymns. The remainder are by Medley. Nearly all of these 52 hymns (both Medley's and Kelly's) have been altered in order to adapt them to Sacramental use. In Sarah Medley's volume, Kelly's hymns all follow one another, and three of them are in a metre which Medley apparently never used. What could have been Sarah Medley's motive in all this it is hard to divine. She is said to have been a clever, though unamiable woman, and was herself the author of a small volume of Poems published in 1807. In the Memoir she does not conceal her hatred of her brother. [Rev. W. R. Stevenson, M.A.]

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)


Texts by Samuel Medley (129)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
A beggar poor, at mercy's doorMedley (Author)English1
All hail, thou great ImmanuelSamuel Medley (Author)15
As Jacob did in days of oldSamuel Medley (Author)English12
Assist my soul, my heavenly KingSamuel Medley (Author)21
At the door of mercy sighingRev. S. Medley (1738-1799) (Author)English2
Attend, my soul, and search, and seeSamuel Medley (Author)4
Attend, my soul, come search and seeSamuel Medley (Author)2
Attend, my soul, the sacred pageSamuel Medley (Author)6
Awake, my soul, and with the sunSamuel Medley (Author)English1
Awake, my soul, in joyful laysSamuel Medley (Author)English793
Behold a sinner, gracious Lord, Whose soul, encouraged by Thy wordMedley (Author)English4
Blest are the souls whose sufferings showSamuel Medley (Author)3
Come, happy souls, that [who] know the LordSamuel Medley (Author)11
Come join, ye saints, with heart and voiceAnon. (Author)English23
Come, let us now unite to raiseMedley (Author)4
Come, let us sing the praise of God [matchless worth]Medley (Author)English5
Come, praying souls, rejoice, And bless your Father's nameSamuel Medley (Author)15
Come ye who know the Savior's loveSamuel Medley (Author)14
Dear Lord, to us assembled hereSamuel Medley (Author)English10
Dearest of names, our Lord, our KingSamuel Medley (Author)English9
Death and the grave are doleful themesSamuel Medley (Author)English7
Death is no more among our foesSamuel Medley (Author)English2
என் மீட்பர் வாழ்கிறார் நான் அறிவேன் (Eṉ mīṭpar vāḻkiṟār nāṉ aṟivēṉ)Samuel Medley (Author)Tamil2
Erwach' mein Herz, und sing mit FleißSamuel Medley (Author)German1
Erwache, Seele, zum GesangSamuel Medley (Author)German1
Eternal Sovereign, Lord of all, Prostrate before Thy throne we fallSamuel Medley (Author)English11
Eternal Spirit, mighty LordSamuel Medley (Author)3
Eternity, stupendous themeSamuel Medley (Author)11
Eu, em um hino de louvorSamuel Medley (Author)Portuguese2
Far, far beyond these lower skiesSamuel Medley (Author)12
Father of mercies, God of love, Whose kind compassion still we proveSamuel Medley (Author)English18
From all that's mortal, all that's vainSamuel Medley (Author)English73
Glory, honor, praise and power, To the Lamb be ever paidSamuel Medley (Author)English2
Go forth, thou mighty conquerorSamuel Medley (Author)3
God shall alone the refuge beMedley (Author)English10
Great God, before thy throne We joyfully appearMedley (Author)English4
Great God, incline thy gracious earSamuel Medley (Author)8
Great God! thy glory and thy loveSamuel Medley (Author)English2
Great judge of all, that day will comeSamuel Medley (Author)4
Hail, mighty and victorious LordMedley (Author)4
Hail sovereign love! that first beganMedley (Author)English1
Hark! how the gospel trumpet sounds, Through all the world the echo boundsMedley (Author)English9
He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend Medley (Author)2
Hear, gracious God, a sinner's crySamuel Medley (Author)English19
Heavenly Father here we bless theeSamuel Medley (Author)5
Here, at thy throne of sovereign graceSamuel Medley (Author)5
High on his throne of heavenly lightMedley (Author)2
How shall I give my Ephraim upSamuel Medley (Author)4
How swiftly time's revolving wheelsSamuel Medley (Author)7
I know that my Redeemer lives, And ever prays for meSamuel Medley 1738-99 (Author)English3
I know that my Redeemer lives, What comfort this sweet sentence givesSamuel Medley, 1738-1799 (Author)English351
Ich weiß dass mein Erlöser lebt, Mein Herze drob in Wonne schwebtSamuel Medley (Author)German2
If worklings ask the reason whySamuel Medley (Author)1
In all my trials and my fearsSamuel Medley (Author)2
In Christ my treasure's all containedSamuel Medley (Author)3
In glory bright the Savior reignsSamuel Medley (Author)English13
In God let all his saints rejoiceSamuel Medley (Author)English16
In heaven the rapturous song beganMedley (Author)5
Ina he leo hiki ko'uSamuel Medley (Author)Hawaiian2
Jehovah's awful name revereSamuel Medley (Author)3
Jesus, before thee I appearSamuel Medley (Author)2
Jesus, before Thy face I fallC. Medley (Author)English10
Jesus, dear Lord, we bless thy [his] nameSamuel Medley (Author)6
Jesus, engrave it on my heartSamuel Medley (Author)English56
Jesus, how bright his glory shinesSamuel Medley (Author)5
Jesus is precious, saith the wordMedley (Author)English6
Jesus, my hope, while here belowMedley (Author)English5
Jesus, my Lord, my life, my all, prostrate before Thy throne I fallSamuel Medley (Author)English8
Jesus, my pattern and my guideSamuel Medley (Author)6
Jesus, the glorious head of graceSamuel Medley (Author)4
Join all who love the Savior's nameSamuel Medley (Author)English36
Kind Teacher and Lord, thy wisdom we blessSamuel Medley (Author)5
Let me, thou sovereign Lord of allSamuel Medley (Author)English10
Lord, hear a burdened sinner mournSamuel Medley (Author)English26
Lord, we are spared, and yet are foundSamuel Medley (Author)4
Loving Jesus, gentle LambSamuel Medley (Author)English1
Mortals, awake, with angels joinSamuel Medley (Author)English238
My soul, arise in joyful laysMedley (Author)English9
My soul, arise, shake off thy fearsMedley (Author)7
My soul, Lord, inflameSamuel Medley (Author)English2
My soul, now arise, my passions, take wingSamuel Medley (Author)English8
My soul, take courage from the LordMedley (Author)English10
No, let us never mourn for thoseSamuel Medley (Author)3
No ti awan padanat' pategSamuel Medley (Author)Tagalog2
Not of terrestrial mortal themesSamuel Medley, 1738-1799 (Author)English2
Now, dearest Lord, to praise thy nameSamuel Medley (Author)English4
Now in a song of grateful praiseSamuel Medley (Author)English81
Now in Thy praise, eternal KingSamuel Medley (Author)English15
Now let my soul to Jesus raiseSamuel Medley (Author)English2
O could I speak the matchless worthSamuel Medley (Author)English548
O fänd' ich doch das große WortSamuel Medley (Author)German5
O for a heart prepared to singSamuel Medley (Author)English3
O könnte ich doch würdiglichSamuel Medley (Author)German1
O thou eternal, glorious Lord Medley (Author)7
O what amazing words of graceSamuel Medley (Author)English214
Of Jesus I singSamuel Medley (Author)2
O glorious hope of perfect loveSamuel Medley (Author)English2
¡Oh si pudiera yo contarSamuel Medley (Author)Spanish1
On Christ salvation rests secureSamuel Medley (Author)English6
Poor sinner, stop, don't madly goSamuel Medley (Author)2
求主耶穌銘刻我心 (Qiú zhǔ yēsū míngkè wǒ xīn)Samuel Medley (Author)Chinese2
Raise thoughtless sinner raise thine eyeMedley (Author)English2
Regard, great God, my mournful prayerSamuel Medley (Author)English4
Saints in their graves lie down in peaceSamuel Medley (Author)6
See a poor sinner, dearest LordSamuel Medley (Author)English34
Sing the dear Savior's glorious fameSamuel Medley (Author)14
The grave is now a favored spotSamuel Medley (Author)English20
The hour of prayer once more is comeSamuel Medley (Author)English13
The Savior lives, no more to dieRev. L. Medley (Author)English31
The souls who love and long forSamuel Medley (Author)2
Thee will we praise, eternal KingSamuel Medley (Author)5
Thy presence and Thy glories, LordSamuel Medley (Author)English4
To God who lives and reigns on highSamuel Medley (Author)5
To thee, O Lord, my heavenly King Medley (Author)10
同來頌揚無比尊貴,甘甜齊唱榮耀光輝 (Tóng lái sòngyáng wúbǐ zūnguì)Samuel Medley (Author)Chinese2
Vak upp, min sj'l, vak upp och sjungSamuel Medley (Author)3
Wach' auf, mein Herz, mit freud'gem KlangSamuel Medley (Author)German5
We sing the praise of Him who diedSamuel Medley (Author)English1
Weary of earth, myself, and sinSamuel Medley (Author)English2
Wherewith shall we approach the LordSamuel Medley (Author)English2
Whom shall I send, the Father criesSamuel Medley (Author)7
With joy let each afflicted saintMedley (Author)7
With joy, ye saints, attend, and raiseMedley (Author)6
我魂醒來快樂歌唱 (Wǒ hún xǐng lái kuài yuè gēchàng)Samuel Medley (Author)Chinese2
Ye lovely tribes of smiling youthSamuel Medley (Author)5
Ye praying souls, rejoiceSamuel Medley (Author)English5
Ye saints attend the Savior's voiceSamuel Medley (Author)29
Yo sé que vive el SalvadorSamuel Medley, 1738-99 (Author)Spanish2
Yo sé que vive mi SeñorSamuel Medley, 1738-1799 (Author)Spanish3

See also...

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us