Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

GodTube Staff

"Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" is a hymn written by Charles Wesley with a theme of "Christian perfection." While the hymn is one of Wesley’s best known, it is also considered a prayer. In the prayer of the hymn, we are asking Jesus to enter our hearts, set our hearts free from sin, and make us a new creation in him. Find out more about the background of this hymn from the story below!

 

  1. Love divine, all loves excelling,
    Joy of Heav’n to earth come down;
    Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
    All thy faithful mercies crown!
    Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
    Pure unbounded love Thou art;
    Visit us with Thy salvation,
    Enter every trembling heart.
     
  2. Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit
    Into every troubled breast!
    Let us all in Thee inherit;
    Let us find that second rest.
    Take away our bent to sinning;
    Alpha and Omega be;
    End of faith, as its beginning,
    Set our hearts at liberty.
     
  3. Come, Almighty to deliver,
    Let us all Thy life receive;
    Suddenly return, and never,
    Nevermore Thy temples leave.
    Thee we would be always blessing,
    Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
    Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
    Glory in Thy perfect love.
     
  4. Finish, then, Thy new creation;
    Pure and spotless let us be;
    Let us see Thy great salvation
    Perfectly restored in Thee;
    Changed from glory into glory,
    Till in Heav’n we take our place,
    Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
    Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Songwriters Charles Wesley
Published by Public Domain

The Story Behind Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

According to Hymnary.org, Love Divine is considered “among Wesley’s finest”.  The hymn first appeared in Wesley’s Hymns for those that Seek, and those that Have Redemption published in 1747.

Pictured below: Charles Wesley

Wesley is considered to have been influenced by a distinctly pagan popular song of the day, 'Fairest isle, all isles excelling', written by John Dryden for Act 2 of Henry Purcell's opera King Arthur (1691).  

The hymn is written around a progression of thoughts: (1) our prayers for the Holy Spirit, (2) praying for the return of our Lord through the second coming, and (3) prayers for the finalization of his new creation.

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