mgpcpastor's blog

Tonight at mgpc we sang ‘O The Deep, Deep Love Of Jesus’.
The first time I encountered the hymn was after the publication of the Rejoice! hymnbook of the Presbyterian Church of Australia.
The tune and how to ‘fit’ it to the words takes some learning, but the strength of the lyrics is well matched with the power of the melody.
A long time ago our home church had an organist who loved both playing and singing the hymn. One Sunday we had a visiting preacher who selected the hymn, but was unfamiliar with the tune. He requested we sing the hymn to the tune ‘Converse’ (What A Friend We Have In Jesus). One of our other organists was playing that morning and complied with the request. Now, ‘Converse’ is a fine tune, but its more jaunty tone does not match well with ‘O The Deep, Deep Love Of Jesus’. Our friend the singing organist was not pleased, but accepted it as an opportunity to grow in grace.
In these words we have a powerful experiential testimony of Christ’s work that remains rooted in the objective nature of his work.

Here’s the lyrics (not from the modernised version found in Rejoice!):
1.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!
2.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!
How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!
How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;
How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!
3.
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!
‘Tis an ocean vast of blessing, ’tis a haven sweet of rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

This YouTube is of a rendition by a group called Selah. It takes about a minute and a bit before the singing starts.

As a bonus here’s a YouTube featuring a tune for the song composed by Bob Kauflin of Sovereign Grace Music. It’s pretty good actually, and if your church is up for a less ornate tune that still suits the tone of the lyrics then this is recommended. Kauflin’s added bridge and revised lyrics don’t do any great violence to the original, addding a degree of individual subjectivity that I still find acceptable, in any case. You can purchase it here.