Friday, March 22, 2024

I am so glad that our Father in Heaven

435 Gladness (Bliss). 10. 10. 10. 10. with Refrain

1. I am so glad that our Father in Heaven
   Tells of His love in the Book He has given;
   Wonderful things in the Bible I see,
   This is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

Refrain
   I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
   Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me.
   I am so glad that Jesus loves me,
   Jesus loves even me.

2. Though I forget Him, and wander away,
   Still He doth love me wherever I stray;
   Back to His dear loving arms I do flee,
   When I remember that Jesus loves me. [Refrain]

3. Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
   When in His beauty I see the great King,
   This shall my song through eternity be,
   Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me! [Refrain]
                         Emily S. Oakey
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
I didn't realize it until yesterday, but this hymnal has a section entitled "Hymns for Children." When I was growing up, I don't recall singing hardly any of them. Of course, we had a separate songbook for Sunday School, but I don't recall ever being terribly fond of any of those either. I preferred the "big people" hymnal and the hymns in it, but of the hymns in this section, I recall precious few. This one is an exception, and not because it's terribly impressive theology wise, but because the Philip P. Bliss tune is catchy.

Cyberhymnal has a few more verse, none of which I had ever seen before:

4. Jesus loves me, and I know I love Him;
   Love brought Him down my poor soul to redeem;
   Yes, it was love made Him die on the tree;
   Oh, I am certain that Jesus loves me! [Refrain]

5. If one should ask of me, how can I tell?
   Glory to Jesus, I know very well!
   God’s Holy Spirit with mine doth agree,
   Constantly witnessing Jesus loves me. [Refrain]

6. In this assurance I find sweetest rest,
   Trusting in Jesus, I know I am blessed;
   Satan, dismayed, from my soul now doth flee,
   When I just tell him that Jesus loves me. [Refrain]

</idle musing>

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