Jesus, the Soul of Music

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Listed into the cause of sin

Author: Charles Wesley
Published in 27 hymnals

Representative Text

1 Listed into the cause of sin
Why should a good be evil?
Music alas! too long has been
Press'd to obey the devil;
Drunken, or lewd, or light, the lay
Flows to the soul's undoing,
Widens and strews with flow'rs the way
Down to eternal ruin.

2 Who on the part of God will rise?
Innocent mirth recover?
Fly on the prey and take the prize,
Plunder the carnal lover?
Strip him of ev'ry moving strain,
Ev'ry melting measure,
Music in virtue's cause retain,
Revive the holy pleasure.

3 Come let us try if Jesu's love
Cannot as well inspire us;
This is the theme of them above
This upon earth will save us:
Try if your hearts are tun'd to sing;
Is there a subject greater?
Melody all its strains may bring,
Jesus' love is sweeter.

4 Jesus the soul of music is,
He is the noblest passion;
Jesus's name is life and peace,
Happiness and salvation;
Jesus's name the dead can raise,
Shew us our sins forgiven,
Fill us with all the life of grace,
And carry us up to heaven.

5 Who hath a right like us to sing
Us who his mercy raises?
Merry our hearts, for Christ is King,
Joyful are all our faces.
Who of his love doth once partake,
He in the Lord rejoices;
Melody in our hearts we make,
Melody with our voices.

6 He that a sprinkled conscience hath,
He that in God is merry:
Let him sing psalms, the spirit faith,
Joyful and ne'er be weary;
Offer the sacrifice of praise,
Hearty and never ceasing;
Spiritual songs and anthems raise,
Worship and thanks and blessing.

7 Come let us in his praises join,
Triumph in his salvation;
Glory aspire to love divine,
Worship and adoration:
Heaven already is begun,
Open'd in each believer:
Only believe, and then sing on,
Heave is ours for ever.

Source: Hymns and Spiritual Songs for the use of Christians #114

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Author: Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

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