February 3, 2005

O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Samuel Trevor Francis, 1834-1925

    For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21. 

    A London merchant and artist’s son, Francis published a number of hymns in religious newspapers and periodicals. He belonged to the Plymouth Brethren congregation in London, and served as an open air preacher. His hymns and poems appeared in The Life of Faith and other papers and periodicals.
    Hymns by Samuel Francis  include:

  • Blessed, Blessed Jesus
  • Gracious Savior, Grant Thy Word
  • Home, Home of Light and Glory
  • I Am Waiting for the Dawning
  • Jesus, We Remember Thee
  • O Child of Sorrow, Weary, Distressed
  • O Jesus, How Great Is Thy Mercy
  • O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus
  • Pearly Gates Are Open, The
  • Safe to Land, No Shadows Darken
  • We Are Pilgrims Far from Our Fatherland
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!