215. What Wondrous Love Is This

1 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!

2 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!

3 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!

4 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.

Text Information
First Line: What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul
Title: What Wondrous Love Is This
Meter: 12.9.12.12.9
Language: English
Publication Date: 2013
Scripture: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Topic: Adoration; Atonement; Christian Year: Palm Sunday (5 more...)
Source: American folk hymn, c. 1811
Tune Information
Name: WONDROUS LOVE
Harmonizer: Carlton R. Young (1965)
Meter: 12.9.12.12.9
Key: d minor or modal
Source: Walker’s Southern Harmony, 1835
Copyright: Harm. © 1965 Abingdon Press (admin. The Copyright Company)


Text Information:

With its ballad-like repetitions before and after each stanza’s central narrative lines, this meditative text needs performance in order to be effective. Its haunting melody proves the means of convincing us that the only adequate response to “wondrous love” is to “sing on.”


Media
Audio recording: Audio (MP3)
More media are available on the text authority and tune authority pages.

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