O How He Loves

Representative Text

1 One there is above all others,
O how he loves!
His is love beyond a brother’s,
O how he loves!
Earthly friends may fail or leave us,
One day kind, the next deceive us;
But this friend will never leave us,
O how he loves!

2 ‘Tis eternal life to know him,
O how he loves!
Think, O think how much we owe him,
O how he loves!
With his precious blood he bought us,
In the wilderness he sought us,
To his fold he safely brought us,
O how he loves!

3 We have found a friend in Jesus,
O how he loves!
‘Tis his great delight to bless us,
O how he loves!
How our hearts delight to hear him,
Bid us dwell in safety near him;
Why should we distrust or fear him?
O how he loves!

4 Blessèd Jesus, wouldst thou know him?
O how he loves!
Give thyself this moment to him,
O how he loves!
Best of blessings he’ll provide thee,
Naught but good shall e’er betide thee,
Safe to Glory he will guide thee,
O how he loves!


Source: The Song Book of the Salvation Army #377

Author: Marianne Nunn

Marianne Nunn United Kingdom 1778-1847. Born at Colchester, Essex, England, she lived a life of relative seclusion. She authored a few hymns and was interested in mission work. Her brother, John, a minister, published a song book “Psalms and hymns”,(containing her hymn noted below), eventually circulated. She also published a book, “The benevolent merchant”. In 1830 Joshua Leavitt included her hymn in his song book, “The Christian lyre”, which was later in America. She died unmarried. John Perry… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: One there is above all others, O how He loves
Title: O How He Loves
Author: Marianne Nunn
Meter: 8.4.8.4.8.8.8.4
Language: English
Refrain First Line: O how He loves
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

One there is above all others, O how He loves. Marianne Nunn. [Jesus the Friend.] The first stanza of this hymn is:—

"One there is above all others:—
O how He loves!
His is love beyond a brother's;
O how He loves !
Earthly friends may fail and leave us,
This day kind, the next bereave us;
But this friend will ne'er deceive us,
O how He loves!"

This hymn appeared in her brother's (J. Nunn's) Psalms & Hymns , 1817, in 4 stanzas, and was intended as an adaptation of J. Newton's hymn as below, to the Welsh air “Ar hyd y nos." From Nunn's Psalms & Hymns. it has passed into numerous collections, and sometimes as "One is kind above all others." Original text in Lyra Britannica, 1867, p. 449.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 3 of 3)
Audio

Small Church Music #6032

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #5233

Text

The Song Book of the Salvation Army #377

Include 176 pre-1979 instances
Suggestions or corrections? Contact us