Comment on a Hymn

'O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus'

The point of the hymn is obvious. It’s about being overwhelmed by the love of Jesus. In the heading our hymnal uses John 13.1 to describe this love. And yet, it could have equally used this from Paul who prays,

that you may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge… [Ephesians 3.18,19]

But be careful. This hymn is not about being overwhelmed by the thought of Jesus’ love for us. The hymn writer was overwhelmed by his experience of that love. I pray that this would be true of all of us also.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in
Its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward
To Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth,
Changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones,
Died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth,
Watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing,
’Tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
’Tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory,
For it lifts me up to Thee!