Scripture Verse

Because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19

Introduction

Introduction

Words: Fred­er­ick Whit­field, 1855. First pub­lished in leaf­let form, then in Whit­field’s Sac­red Po­ems and Prose (Ot­ley, West York­shire, & Lon­don: Will­iam Walk­er & Sons, 1861), pag­es 5–6.

Music: 19th Cen­tu­ry Am­eri­can me­lo­dy (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

  • Tyrone com­pos­er un­known, in The Pri­mi­tive Me­tho­dist Hym­nal, by George Booth & Hen­ry Cow­ard (Lon­don: Pri­mi­tive Me­tho­dist Pub­lish­ing House, 1889), num­ber 151 (🔊 pdf nwc)
portrait
Frederick Whitfield
(1829–1904)

Lyrics

There is a name I love to hear,
I love to speak its worth;
It sounds like mu­sic in mine ear,
The sweet­est name on earth.

Refrain

O how I love Je­sus,
O how I love Je­sus,
O how I love Je­sus,
Because He first loved me!

It tells me of a Sav­ior’s love,
Who died to set me free;
It tells me of His pre­cious blood,
The sin­ner’s per­fect plea.

Refrain

It tells me of a Fa­ther’s smile
Beaming up­on His child;
It cheers me through this lit­tle while,
Through de­sert, waste, and wild.

Refrain

It tells me what my Fa­ther hath
In store for ev­ery day,
And though I tread a dark­some path,
Yields sun­shine all the way.

Refrain

It tells of One whose lov­ing heart
Can feel my deep­est woe;
Who in my sor­row bears a part,
That none can bear be­low.

Refrain

It bids my tremb­ling heart re­joice;
It dries each ris­ing tear;
It tells me, in a still small voice,
To trust and ne­ver fear.

Refrain

Jesus, the name I love so well,
The name I love to hear!
No saint on earth its worth can tell,
No heart con­ceive how dear.

Refrain

This name shall shed its frag­rance still
Along this thor­ny road,
Shall sweet­ly smooth the rug­ged hill
That leads me up to God.

Refrain

And there, with all the blood-bought throng,
From sin and sor­row free,
I’ll sing the new eter­nal song
Of Je­sus’ love to me.

Refrain