My Jesus I Love Thee

Last updated

My Jesus I Love Thee
by William Ralph Featherston
Adoniram Judson Gordon.jpg
Genre Hymn
Written1864
Based on John21:15
Meter11.11.11.11
Melody"Gordon" by Adoniram Judson Gordon
My Jesus, I Love Thee

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I'll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

William Ralph Featherston, 1864

Contents

My Jesus I Love Thee is a poem written by William Ralph Featherston in 1864 when he was 16 years old, [1] [2] although one source says he could have been just 12 years old. [3] The first two lines of this poem are nearly the same as a hymn written by Caleb J. Taylor, published in 1804; this hymn is used as the basis for the song Imandra by Ananias Davisson in the Supplement to the Kentucky Harmony in 1820, reprinted in Southern Harmony in 1835. [4] [5] There are other similarities between Featherston's poem and camp-meeting songs published in the 1820s onward. [6] [7] [8]

In 1876 Adoniram Gordon added music to Featherston's poem. Featherston died at the age of 27, well before his poem had become a well-known inspirational hymn. The poem is believed to have been his only publicly published work.

Inspiration

According to Tim Challies, [3]

Not much is known about Featherston, except that he attended a Methodist church in Montreal, that he was young when he wrote the poem (12 or 16 years old), and that he died at just 27 years of age. One story about how the poem became public is that Featherston mailed it to his aunt in Los Angeles who, upon reading it, quickly sought its publication... It wasn't until several years after Featherston's death that Adoniram Judson Gordon (founder of Gordon College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) added a melody and published it in his book of hymns, thus forever transforming this poem to a song.

The United Methodist Church's Hymns of the United Methodist Church, a guide to the denomination's hymnal, states that Featherstone was 16 years old when he wrote the text in 1864. [2] Kenneth Osbeck writes of this hymn in his book, 101 More Hymn Stories: "It is difficult to realize that this beloved devotional hymn, which expresses so profoundly a believer's love and gratitude to Christ ... was written by a teenager". [1]

Notable recordings

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Contemporary worship music</span> Modern genre of music sung in many churches

Contemporary worship music (CWM), also known as praise and worship music, is a defined genre of Christian music used in contemporary worship. It has developed over the past 60 years and is stylistically similar to pop music. The songs are frequently referred to as "praise songs" or "worship songs" and are typically led by a "worship band" or "praise team", with either a guitarist or pianist leading. It has become a common genre of music sung in many churches, particularly in charismatic or non-denominational Protestant churches with some Roman Catholic congregations incorporating it into the Mass as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Be Thou My Vision</span> Christian hymn

"Be Thou My Vision" is a traditional Christian hymn of Irish origin. The words are based on a Middle Irish poem that has traditionally been attributed to Dallán Forgaill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing</span> Christian hymn written by Charles Wesley

"O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" is a Christian hymn written by Charles Wesley. The hymn was placed first in John Wesley's A Collection of Hymns for the People Called Methodists published in 1780. It was the first hymn in every (Wesleyan) Methodist hymnal from that time until the publication of Hymns and Psalms in 1983.

<i>Stones Been Rolled Away</i> 1993 live album by Hillsong Church

Stone's Been Rolled Away is the second album in the live praise and worship series of contemporary worship music by Hillsong Church. In 1997 the album was certified gold by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipment of 35000 units.

<i>Touching Heaven Changing Earth</i> 1998 live album by Hillsong Church

Touching Heaven Changing Earth is the seventh album in the live praise and worship series of contemporary worship music by Hillsong Church. The album reached No. 31 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Christian Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reuben Morgan</span> Australian musician

Reuben Timothy Morgan is an Australian worship pastor at Hillsong Church and one of several worship leaders and songwriters in Hillsong Worship group. Prior to this he was a worship pastor at Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia. He has written songs such as "Eagles Wings", "Hear Our Praises", "I Give You My Heart", "My Redeemer Lives" and "Mighty to Save", which won the Worship Song of the Year at the 40th GMA Dove Awards. In 2005 his first solo worship album, World Through Your Eyes, debuted at No. 3 in the Australian Christian Charts.

The 36th Annual GMA Dove Awards, also called the 36th Annual GMA Music Awards, were held on April 13, 2005 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 2004. The show was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee and was hosted by Steven Curtis Chapman, CeCe Winans, Rebecca St. James, Smokie Norful, Darlene Zschech and Israel Houghton.

"I'll Fly Away" is a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley and published in 1932 by the Hartford Music company in a collection titled Wonderful Message. Brumley's writing was influenced by the 1924 secular ballad, "The Prisoner's Song".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Surrender All</span> Christian hymn written by Judson W. Van DeVenter

"I Surrender All" is a Christian hymn, with words written by American art teacher and musician Judson W. Van DeVenter (1855–1939), who subsequently became a music minister and evangelist. It was put to music by Winfield S. Weeden (1847–1908), and published in 1896.

<i>WOW Worship: Red</i> 2004 compilation album by Various artists

WOW Worship: Red is the fifth installment in the WOW Worship series. It contains 34 praise and worship songs performed by top Christian artists. Twelve of the songs were newly recorded specifically for this release on Word Records. The album reached #62 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The Gospel Music Association of Canada or GMA Canada is a not for profit association, founded in 1974, whose purpose is to promote Christian music in Canada.

"'As the Deer" is a praise and worship hymn song by Martin J. Nystrom, a native of Seattle. Written in 1984, this song is based on Psalm 42:1;

"As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee; You alone are my heart's desire, and I long to worship Thee"

<i>WOW Hymns</i> 2007 compilation album by Various artists

WOW Hymns: 30 Modern & Classic Hymns from Today's Top Artists is a two-disc compilation album of hymns that have been recorded by popular Christian musicians. It was released on March 6, 2007. The album features thirty songs by Jeremy Camp, Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns, Third Day, Newsboys, Chris Rice, Nichole Nordeman, David Crowder Band, and many other well-known groups and singers. The album reached No. 100 on the Billboard 200 chart, and #3 on the Top Christian Albums chart in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">39th GMA Dove Awards</span>

The 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards presentation was held on April 23, 2008, recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 2007. The show was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus</span> Christian hymn with music by William J. Kirkpatrick

"'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" is a Christian hymn with music by William J. Kirkpatrick and lyrics by Louisa M. R. Stead. The lyrics were written in 1882. They appeared in Stead's Songs of Triumph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Hymn of Joy</span> 1907 poem by Henry van Dyke

"The Hymn of Joy" is a poem written by Henry van Dyke in 1907 in being a Vocal Version of the famous "Ode to Joy" melody of the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's final symphony, Symphony No. 9.

William Ralph Featherston (1848–1875) was a Christian hymnwriter who wrote the poem My Jesus I Love Thee. He is believed to have written the poem at the age of either 12 or 16 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiritual communion</span> Christian practice related to Holy Communion

Spiritual communion is a Christian practice of desiring union with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It is used as a preparation for Mass and by individuals who cannot receive Holy Communion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Come, O thou Traveller unknown</span> 18th-century Christian hymn by Charles Wesley

"Wrestling Jacob", also known by its incipit, "Come, O thou Traveller unknown", is a Christian hymn written by Methodist hymn writer Charles Wesley. It is based on the biblical account of Jacob wrestling with an angel, from Genesis 32:24-32, with Wesley interpreting this as an analogy for Christian conversion. First published in 1742, it has been included in every Methodist hymnbook since 1780. In its original form, it had fourteen stanzas, but it is rarely sung in its entirety. The hymn is commonly described as one of Charles Wesley's greatest compositions, with the hymn writer Isaac Watts quoted as saying that "that single poem, Wrestling Jacob, was worth all the verses he himself had written".

"Crown Him with Many Crowns" is an 1851 hymn with lyrics written by Matthew Bridges and Godfrey Thring and sung to the tune 'Diademata' by Sir George Job Elvey. The hymn appears in many hymnals.

References

  1. 1 2 Osbeck, Kenneth (1985). 101 More Hymn Stories. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel. p. 61. ISBN   0-8254-3420-3.
  2. 1 2 Sanchez, Diana (1989). The Hymns of the United Methodist Hymnal. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press. p. 72. ISBN   0-687-43149-2.
  3. 1 2 "Hymn Stories: My Jesus I Love Thee | Challies Dot Com". Challies.com. March 10, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  4. Steel, David Warren, and Richard H. Hulan. 2010. The Makers of the Sacred Harp. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois.
  5. "Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Southern Harmony, Imandra" . Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  6. "Social and Camp-Meeting Songs for the Pious. Baltimore, MD: Armstrong and Plaskitt, 1822. 216 pp" . Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  7. "Shaffer's Pilgrim Songster. Zanesville, Ohio, 1848. 216 pp" . Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  8. "Music and words to Imandra at Choral Public Domain Library" . Retrieved January 25, 2017.
  9. "Be Still and Know... Hymns & Faith". AllMusic. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  10. "My Jesus I Love Thee". Amazon. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  11. "MY JESUS I LOVE THEE (TRACK #9)". Selah. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  12. Darlene Zschech (March 5, 2013). "My Jesus, I Love Thee from Darlene Zschech's #RevealingJesus Project". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2016.

Additional Sources