Thursday, April 21, 2011

Love unknown


My song is love unknown,
My Saviour’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?

He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed-for Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.

Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.

Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight,
Sweet injuries! Yet they at these
Themselves displease, and ’gainst Him rise.

They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they save,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from thence might free.

In life, no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What may I say? Heav’n was His home;
But mine the tomb wherein He lay.

Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.


Words    Samuel Crossman (1623-1683)
Image    Hans Memling  (c1430 -1494)

5 comments:

  1. Hello:
    How lovely to see this so familar hymn today of all days. And, in so doing, to be reminded of the reason for Good Friday and the whole meaning of Easter.

    We are delighted to have found your blog, attracted by a comment which you left elsewhere putting forward the argument that celebrities should be made to pay for an appearance on television!! Although we have not had a television for the past thirty or so years, this is a sentiment we should fully endorse.

    We have signed as Followers and look forward to keeping in touch. A very Happy Easter.

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  2. Hello Jane and Lance, thank you for visiting.

    I'm glad you appreciate one of my favourite hymns. It seems to me to say much better and more concisely than I can why this day is so uniquely special.

    A very happy Easter to you also.

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  3. I remember you said a few years ago that this is the hymn you want at your funeral, and I (being your cheeky Baby Sis) said "we'll sing what we want - nothing much you can do at that point to stop us!".

    Am I forgiven yet?

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  4. Of course you are :-) I intend to plan my entire funeral in due course, down to the readings and ALL the hymns. I have to get my own way one last time......

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  5. Aha! So you THINK!

    I want Bach and Stevie Wonder, and to be buried in the beautiful Municipal Cemetery in Llani.

    However, The Daughter decided years ago I should have a Viking Ship Burial on Ducklington Lake (Oxon) with 200 of my friends singing and playing Verdi's Requiem, (200 of my CLOSEST friends, she added...)

    We are at the mercy of those who survive us, I guess. Oh, and be good to your kids, 'cos they choose your care home.

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