"Abba, Father," We Approach Thee

Representative Text

1. Abba, Father, we approach you
In our Savior’s precious name;
We, your children, here assembling,
Now your promised blessing claim.
From our sins his blood has washed us,
’Tis thru' him our souls draw nigh;
And your Spirit, too, has taught us,
"Abba, Father," thus to cry.

2. Once as prodigals we wandered
In our folly far from you;
But your grace, o’er sin abounding,
Rescued us from deepest gloom.
Then your prodigals you pardoned,
Kissed us with a Father’s love,
Killed the fatted calf, and called us
E’er to dwell with you above.

3. Clothed in garments of salvation,
At Thy table is our place;
We rejoice, with you delighting,
In the riches of your grace.
"It is fit," we hear you saying,
"We should merry and be glad;
I have found my once-lost children;
Now they live who once were dead!"

4. "Abba, Father!" all adore you,
All rejoice in Heav’n above,
While in us they learn the wonders
Of your wisdom, grace, and love.
Soon before your throne assembled,
All your children shall proclaim,
"Glory, everlasting glory,
Be to God and to the Lamb!"

Source: Hymns and Devotions for Daily Worship #27

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Author: James G. Deck

Deck, James George, eldest son of John Deck, of Bury St. Edmunds, was born in 1802 and educated for the army, and became an officer in the Indian service. Retiring from the army, and having joined the Plymouth Brethren, he undertook, in 1843, the charge of a congregation of that body, at Wellington, Somerset. In 1852 be went abroad and settled in New Zealand. His hymns were published in Hymns for the Poor of the Flock, 1837-1838; Psalms and Hymns, &c, London, Walther (containing those in the former collection), 1842; the Wellington Hymn Book, 1857; Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1860. Of his hymns now in use outside his own denomination, the greater part appeared in the 1837-1838 book, and are found in his brother-in-law's (Dr. Walker's) Chelte… Go to person page >

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First Line:	Abba, Father, we approach Thee
Title:	"Abba, Father," We Approach Thee
Author:	James G. Deck
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain
Liturgical Use:	Opening Hymns

Galatians 4:4-7
(hymns)

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Abba Father! we approach Thee. J. G. Deck. [Sons of God.] First published in the Appendix to the Hymns for the Poor of the Flock, 1841, No. 27, in 4 stanzas of 8 lines; again with the omission of stanza iii. in Psalms & Hymns, Lond., Walther, 1842; Walker's Cheltenham Collection, 1855; Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory. 1872, No. 21, and other collections. It is a plain evangelical hymn of no special merit. In America it is found in the Baptist Hymn & Tune Book, Phil. 1871, No. 792.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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St. 1 = Jn 16:26, Jn 14:14, Re 1:5, Ro 8:15
St. 2 = Lk 15:12, Ro 5:20, Lk 15:20, Lk 15:23
St. 3 = Lk 15:22, Ep 1:7, Lk 15:24
St. 4 = Ga 4:6, Re 5:12-13

James Deck wrote of his youth, "I hoped there were no God," yet his mother's training pursued after him. "She read to me of Jesus, Of all his grace and love." After his conversion, the study of scripture revealed the doctrinal error of his Anglican upbringing. Forsaking all, he set his heart to follow God "at any cost." Later, his son testified this determination was "a trust never disappointed."

- Psalms and Hymns And Spiritual Songs (2018)

Notes

Abba Father! we approach Thee. J. G. Deck. [Sons of God.] First published in the Appendix to the Hymns for the Poor of the Flock, 1841, No. 27, in 4 stanzas of 8 lines; again with the omission of stanza iii. in Psalms & Hymns, Lond., Walther, 1842; Walker's Cheltenham Collection, 1855; Snepp's Songs of Grace & Glory. 1872, No. 21, and other collections. It is a plain evangelical hymn of no special merit. In America it is found in the Baptist Hymn & Tune Book, Phil. 1871, No. 792.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)
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St. 1 = Jn 16:26, Jn 14:14, Re 1:5, Ro 8:15
St. 2 = Lk 15:12, Ro 5:20, Lk 15:20, Lk 15:23
St. 3 = Lk 15:22, Ep 1:7, Lk 15:24
St. 4 = Ga 4:6, Re 5:12-13

James Deck wrote of his youth, "I hoped there were no God," yet his mother's training pursued after him. "She read to me of Jesus, Of all his grace and love." After his conversion, the study of scripture revealed the doctrinal error of his Anglican upbringing. Forsaking all, he set his heart to follow God "at any cost." Later, his son testified this determination was "a trust never disappointed."

- Psalms and Hymns And Spiritual Songs (2018)

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Tune

CALON LÂN

DEERHURST

[Loving Savior, Thou art calling] (Smith)

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Arrangements

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