750. O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High

1 O Love, how deep, how broad, how high,
How passing thought and fantasy,
That God, the Son of God, should take
Our mortal form for mortals' sake!

2 He sent no angel to our race
Of higher or of lower place,
But wore the robe of human frame,
And he himself to this world came.

3 Nor willed he only to appear,
His pleasure was to tarry here;
And God and Man with man would be
The space of thirty years and three.

4 For us baptized, for us he bore
His holy fast and hungered sore;
For us temptation sharp he knew,
For us the Tempter overthrew.

5 For us he prayed, for us he taught,
For us his daily works he wrought,
By words and signs and actions thus
Still seeking not himself, but us.

6 For us to wicked men betrayed,
Scourged, mocked, in crown of thorns arrayed;
He bore the shameful cross and death,
For us he gave his dying breath.

7 For us he rose from death again,
For us he went on high to reign;
For us he sent his Spirit here,
To guide, to strengthen, and to cheer.

8 In this great triumph of our King
To God on high all praise we bring,
To him all thanks and laud give we,
The ever-blessèd Trinity. Amen.

Text Information
First Line: O Love, how deep, how broad, how high
Title: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High
Translator: Benjamin Webb, 1820-85 (alt.)
Author: Thomas à Kempis, 1380-1471 (cento)
Meter: LM
Publication Date: 1969
Topic: The Trinity: The Redeemer
Notes: Latin: O amor quam exstaticus
Tune Information
Name: DEO GRACIAS
Meter: LM
Key: B♭ Major
Source: Traditional English tune



Media
More media are available on the text authority and tune authority pages.

Suggestions or corrections? Contact us