Hymns: O For a Thousand Tongues
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009“O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing” has always been one of my favorite hymns. I grew up going to a Methodist church. So we sang it quite regularly. Something about this song always seemed to connect with me.
Charles Wesley, who wrote this hymn, wrote over 6,000 hymns. What was special about this hymn is the fact that it commemorated the one year anniversary of his renewal of faith. the title of this song was inspired by his Moravian teacher , Peter Böhler, who said, “Had I a thousand tongues I would praise Him with them all.”.
I just love the idea of that! Until recently I when i read that i just thought it meant “O for a thousand people to sing of our great Redeemers praise” (Which is still great..) , but Wesley is praying and wishing that he had a thousand tongues himself that he could sing to God with. That’s the passion we should have!
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!
Glory to God, and praise and love
Be ever, ever given,
By saints below and saints above,
The church in earth and heaven.
On this glad day the glorious Sun
Of Righteousness arose;
On my benighted soul He shone
And filled it with repose.
Sudden expired the legal strife,
’Twas then I ceased to grieve;
My second, real, living life
I then began to live.
Then with my heart I first believed,
Believed with faith divine,
Power with the Holy Ghost received
To call the Savior mine.
I felt my Lord’s atoning blood
Close to my soul applied;
Me, me He loved, the Son of God,
For me, for me He died!
I found and owned His promise true,
Ascertained of my part,
My pardon passed in heaven I knew
When written on my heart.
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.
Jesus! The name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
‘Tis life, and health, and peace.
He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.
He speaks, and, listening to his voice,
New life the dead receive,
The mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
The humble poor believe.