O Love Divine, How Sweet Thou Art

285 O Love Divine, How Sweet Thou Art

1 O love divine, how sweet thou art!
   When shall I find my longing heart
   all taken up by thee?
   I thirst, I faint, I die to prove
   the greatness of redeeming love,
   the love of Christ to me.

2 Stronger his love than death or hell;
   its riches are unsearchable:
   the first-born sons of light
   desire in vain its depth to see;
   they cannot reach the mystery,
   the length and breadth and height.

3 God only knows the love of God;
   O that it now were shed abroad
   in this poor stony heart!
   For love I sigh, for love I pine;
   this only portion, Lord, be mine,
   be mine this better part.

4 Thy only love do I require,
   nothing on earth beneath desire,
   nothing in heaven above:
   let earth and heaven, and all things go,
   give me thine only love to know,
   give me thine only love.
                         Charles Wesley
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1964 edition

<idle musing>
Not one of Wesley's better known hymns, only occurring in about 375 hymnals. I can't say that I recall ever singing it. Hymnary.org inserts a verse:

4 For ever would I take my seat
   with Mary at the Master's feet:
   be this my happy choice;
   my only care, delight, and bliss,
   my joy, my heaven on earth, be this,
   to hear the Bridegroom's voice!

</idle musing>