March 3, 2005

O How I Love Jesus

Frederick Whitfield, 1829-1904

    Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19.

    Whitfield was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland (B.A. 1859). After taking Holy Orders, he was successively Curate of Otley, Vicar of Kirby-Ravenscroft, senior Curate of Greenwich, and Vicar of St. John’s, Bexley. In 1875, he went to St. Mary’s, Hastings. Whitfield wrote over 30 prose and poetical works.

    Hymns written by Frederick Whitfield include:

• I Have a Great High Priest Above
• I Need Thee, Precious Jesus
• I Saw the Cross of Jesus
• In Spirit, Lord, We Meet Thee Now
• Jesus, Thou Name of Magic Power
• O How I Love Jesus
• Sprinkled Blood Is Soaking, The
• There Is a Day I Long to See
• There’s Naught on Earth to Rest Upon
• When Dead in Sin and Far from God

There is a Name I love to hear,
I love to sing its worth;
It sounds like music in my ear,
The sweetest Name on earth.

It tells me of a Savior’s love,
Who died to set me free;
It tells me of His precious blood,
The sinner’s perfect plea.

It tells me of a Father’s smile
Beaming upon His child;
It cheers me through this little while,
Through desert, waste, and wild.

It tells me what my Father hath
In store for every day,
And though I tread a darksome path,
Yields sunshine all the way.

It tells of One whose loving heart
Can feel my deepest woe;
Who in each sorrow bears
A part that none can bear below.

It bids my trembling heart rejoice.
It dries each rising tear.
It tells me, in a “still small voice,”
To trust and never fear.

Jesus, the Name I love so well,
The Name I love to hear:
No saint on earth its worth can tell,
No heart conceive how dear.

This Name shall shed its fragrance still
Along this thorny road,
Shall sweetly smooth the rugged hill
That leads me up to God.

And there with all the blood-bought throng,
From sin and sorrow free,
I’ll sing the new eternal song
Of Jesus’ love for me.

Chorus:
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
O how I love Jesus,
Because He first loved me!