February 12, 2005

What Wondrous Love is This

American Folk Hymn
Words attributed to Alexander Means
Music by William Walker, 1809-1875

     Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. John 15:13.

    This beloved hymn, with its plaintive modal sound, is one of the best known of our authentic American folk hymns. Like all true folk music, the origins of this text and music remain unknown. It is simply the product of devout people who, when reflecting seriously on the sacrificial gift of God's Son, respond spontaneously with amazed adoration for this "wondrous love."
    One typical folk hymn characteristic found in these words is the repetition of key phrases such as "O my soul" and "I'll sing on." Since folk music is generally learned aurally without the assistance of the printed page or musical notation, such repetition is necessary. Note also how effectively the curving melodic lines enhance the thought and personal application of the words.
    The hymn first appeared in 1835 in a collection titled The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion.
    Musically gifted, by age 18, William Walker was leading congregational singing at the First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He collected and arranged folk tunes, and with his brother-in-law, Benjamin Franklin White, participated in singing schools and compiling melodies from southern Appalachia and camp meetings. After moving to Hartford, Connecticut, Walker published The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion in 1835, but gave no credit to White, who published The Sacred Harp, a competing volume, in 1844. Both used the shaped note music notation system.

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.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
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.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb Who is the great “I Am”;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

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.