Scripture Verse

Introduction

Origin of the Hymn

There are few, if any, more so­lemn and im­pres­sive hymns in the lang­uage than this. It is said to have been found­ed on the au­thor’s own sad and bi­tter ex­pe­ri­ence, out of which he was hap­pi­ly led by the Spir­it of God, and thus en­abled to write this most use­ful and im­press­ive hymn.

Describing that un­hap­py pe­ri­od of his life, he said:

My rest­less and ima­gi­na­tive mind and my wild and un­gov­ern­able ima­gi­na­tion have long ago brok­en loose from the an­chor of faith, and have been dri­ven, the sport of winds and waves, ov­er an ocean of doubts, round which ev­ery coast is de­fend­ed by the rocks of des­pair that for­bid me to en­ter the har­bor in view.

This is one of the por­tions of his his­to­ry to which he re­fers as pre­par­ing him to write with heart­felt pe­ni­tence and gra­ti­tude this hymn.

Nutter, p. 133