Jesus, Lover of My Soul UMH # 479

Wisdom of Solomon 11:26 (Apocryphal) But thou sparest all: for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comfor

ted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

Hebrews 13:5,6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high.
Hide me, O my Savior, hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide; O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none, hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.
All my trust on Thee is stayed, all my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head with the shadow of Thy wing.

Wilt Thou not regard my call? Wilt Thou not accept my prayer?
Lo! I sink, I faint, I fall—Lo! on Thee I cast my care;
Reach me out Thy gracious hand! While I of Thy strength receive,
Hoping against hope I stand, dying, and behold, I live.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is Thy Name, I am all unrighteousness;
False and full of sin I am; Thou art full of truth and grace.

Plenteous grace with Thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art, freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart; rise to all eternity.

Joseph Parry was born in Wales. His family moved to Pennsylvania when he was 13 but he often returned to Wales. He received his doctorate in music at Cambridge in England. He wrote operas, cantatas, and hymn tunes.

There is a legend that Charles Wesley was preaching in a field in Ireland when a mob attacked him because of doctrinal disagreements. He fled to a nearby farmhouse, where the farmer's wife hid him in the milk house. The mob then came to the house and demanded Charles Wesley. The lady then offered them refreshments, and slipped away to tell Charles Wesley to leave out the rear window and hide in some hedges along a nearby brook. It is said that this occasion inspired him to write this hymn.

Now, we really don't know what might have served as inspiration for Wesley's words, but it was written shortly after he was converted. It seems to anticipate the troubles that were to come to him as an itinerant preacher of his day. Traveling on horseback in 18th century England, poor habitations offered him on his circuits, huge crowds, and angry mobs all provided dangers and difficulties to Charles Wesley from time to time.