My Jesus I Love Thee

My Jesus, I love Thee

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death,
And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

William Ralph Featherston, 1864

My Jesus I Love Thee is a poem written by William Ralph Featherston in 1864, when he was 16 years old. Later on, in 1876 Adoniram Gordon added music to it.

Sources

• Reynolds, William Jensen. Hymns of Our Faith. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1964. (p. 291)
• Taylor, Gordon Harry. Companion to the Song Book of the Salvation Army. St. Albans, England: The Campfield Press, 1988. (p. 300)
• Center for Church Music

The Words to “My Jesus I love thee, I know thou art mine” share the sentiment and even the meter with "O Jesus, my Savior, to thee I submit" Which is first found in Richard Allen's COLLECTION OF SPIRITUAL SONGS AND HYMNS SELECTED FROM VARIOUS AUTHORS (Philadelphia: 1801) which he compiled for his African Methodist Episcopal Church. Where it is attributed to Mrs. Sarah Jones. 'Because of the variants of this hymn as published in the various collections, ranging from New Hampshire to Virginia, it is apparent that it circulated in oral tradition before it was published.' (Dictionary of American Hymnology, Oberlin College Library.) The text next appears as “O Jesus, my Savior, I know thou art mine” Attributed to Caleb Jarvis Taylor, Sacred Harp 1803. The version we now sing is attributed to William R. Featherston (a Canadian), 1864; Featherston was only 16 years old at the time.

The <a href="http://www.ccel.org/s/southern_harmony/sharm/sharm/hymn/t=Imandra.html">Southern Harmony</a> provides 7 verses for this 1803 version.

1. O Jesus, my Savior, I know thou art mine,
   For thee all the pleasures of sin I resign;
   Of objects most pleasing, I love thee the best,
   Without thee I'm wretched, but with thee I'm blest.

2. Thy Spirit first taught me to know I was blind,
   Then taught me the way of salvation to find;
   And when I was sinking in gloomy despair,
   Thy mercy relieved me, and bid me not fear.

3. In vain I attempt to describe what I feel,
   The language of mortals or angels would fail;
   My Jesus is precious, my soul's in a flame,
   I'm raised to a rapture while praising his name.

4. I find him in singing, I find him in prayer,
   In sweet meditation he always is near;
   My constant companion, O may we ne'er part!
   All glory to Jesus, he dwells in my heart.

5. I love thee, my Savior, I love thee, my Lord,
   I love thy dear people, thy ways, and thy word;
   With tender emotion I love sinners too,
   Since Jesus has died to redeem them from woe.

6. My Jesus is precious--I cannot forbear,
   Though sinners despise me, his love to declare;
   His love overwhelms me; had I wings I'd fly
   To praise him in mansions prepared in the sky.

7. Then millions of ages my soul would employ
   In praising my Jesus, my love and my joy
   Without interruption, when all the glad throng
   With pleasures unceasing unite in the song.

Forrest Drennen Director of Music Saint Barnabas Church Newark, NJ