OC Bereans

Gentlemen,

We concluded our in-depth study of Revelation 5 by listening to the Christian folk hymn, What Wondrous Love, which neatly summarizes the emphasis of this chapter.  First published in 1811, during the Second Great Awakening, this camp meeting song was sometimes described as a “white spiritual” from the American South.  For many years the hymn’s text was attributed to an anonymous author, until an 1848 hymnal identified a Methodist pastor from Oxford, Georgia named Alexander Means as the source.  The melody was derived from a popular English ballad, “The Ballad of Captain Kidd,” which described the exploits of pirate William Kidd.

The version we listened to Monday night was performed by the recent Christian band – “Jars of Clay.”  Click on the title above for another rendition by Fernando Ortega, along with a slideshow of beautiful nature scenes.  A handout with the lyrics for What Wondrous Love is available here.

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul.

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing.
To God and to the Lamb who is the great I Am;
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity, I’ll sing on.

Shalom!

~ tr