Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13).

This is a very powerful passage; our Lord Jesus is sharing this message with his disciples, and this is a message for us, as well. And this is the message that an anonymous believer used to pen this marvelous hymn, “What Wondrous Love Is This.” We don’t know who this person is but according to the melody that we normally use, this hymn is from the 1800’s. It is obvious that this hymn is to be used to remember the passion of Jesus.

“What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul.”

It was published in the second edition of the Southern Harmony hymnal, and the lyrics have not been changed since. This hymnal is called a “shaped notes” hymnal, and it was to be used to teach music in schools, so little ones could use hymns to learn music and sound doctrine at the same time.

“When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, O my soul!
When I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.”

For me, this is one of the most powerful stanzas of this hymn, especially for the phrase, “Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.” What a mystery that Christ, the great I AM, came to earth to die for our sins. The melody, in minor key, puts an image of lament and at the same time power for this hymn.

“And when from death I'm free,
I'll sing on, I'll sing on;
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on.
And when from death I'm free
I'll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity,
I'll sing on, I'll sing on;
And through eternity I'll sing on.”

Enjoy this hymn, use it during your quiet time, worship the Lamb for his wondrous love and sacrifice.
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In His service,
Israel