O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
This page includes a lyric video, history, sheet music, and other resources for the classic hymn “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus.” Enjoy!
Enjoy this You Tube video, performed by Enfield, with lyrics for “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus.”
History of “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”
Words by Samuel Trevor Francis (1834-1925), Published in 1875
Samuel was born in Chestnut, a village north of London, in 1834. As a child, Samuel enjoyed poetry and even compiled a handwritten volume of his own work. He also developed a love for music and joined a church choir at age nine.
However, throughout his youth, religion was primarily a matter of tradition for Samuel — until someone invited him to come “see a man buried alive.” It was actually a baptismal service held by Andrew Jukes, an English theologian who greatly influenced Hudson Taylor, the famous English missionary to China. Samuel was moved by the service and was introduced to people that spoke passionately about the gospel. In time, Samuel made the decision to surrender his life to the Lord.1
Soon thereafter, Samuel began open-air preaching, and during the English Revival of 1859 (when Samuel was in his 20s), his preaching led many people to the Lord. Samuel was not only a gifted preacher, but he was a talented singer and hymn writer. When American evangelists, Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey came to London in 1873-1874, Samuel served as one of the chief assistants to their outreaches. Sankey typically led the singing before Moody preached, and in some meetings, Samuel substituted for Sankey.2
Samuel went on to serve in many evangelistic campaigns around the world, including Canada, Australia, and the Middle East. He had the privilege of hearing his songs sung wherever he went, in both English and other languages.
Faithfully, Samuel continued preaching and writing until his death at age 92. A collection of his poems which had appeared in a variety of Christian publications were gathered into a work titled O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus. One friend wrote of Samuel: “All his poetical work, as well as his spoken word, was permeated by a realization of the love of Christ, and with a heart desire to see the Savior’s face.”3 Biographer H. Pickering concludes of Samuel’s life, “Now he realizes what he so sweetly penned: ‘At Home with the Lord, what joy is this; to gaze on His face is infinite bliss.’”4
Music “Ebenezer” by Thomas John Williams (1869-1944), Published in 1890
Thomas was born in Wales in 1869. He studied music under David Evans, a well-known professor of music who edited the Church Hymnary (used in many English-speaking Presbyterian churches around the world).5 Throughout his life, and right up to his death, Thomas served as an organist and choir director at churches in Wales.
Thomas also wrote and composed music. His tune “Ebenezer” was originally associated with his Welsh anthem “Goleu yn y Glyn” (Light in the Valley). The tune is also known by the name “Ton-Y-Botel” – a name “given to it by a young English singer who told the romantic-but-fictional story of the ‘tune-in-a-bottle’ which had been washed ashore on the coast of Wales.”6
Lyrics for “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”:
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!
Additional Resources for “O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus”:
Sheet Music (PDF Compliments of Hymnary.org)
Guitar Chords (Links to Ultimate Guitar)
Visit Hymnary.org or Hymn Time.com for more on this hymn.
See our Hymn of the Week page for a list of the hymns that are included on this site.
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Sources:
1 Pickering, H. Chief Among the Brethren. Pickering & Inglis, 1931. The article on Samuel Trevor Francis is available online:
http://gospelhall.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3073
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid.
5 Hustad, Donald P. Dictionary-Handbook to Hymns for the Living Church. Hope Publishing Company, 1978, p. 237
6 Ibid, p. 155
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