Scripture Verse

We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Introduction

Words: Ste­phen Pop­o­vich, 2013 (pub­lic do­main).

Music: 17th Cen­tu­ry (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Stephen Popovich
1953–

Origin of the Song

The song was con­ceived when the three words Change Me Deep­ly sprout­ed sud­den­ly in my soul around Christ­mas 2012. The song grew to mir­ror the sweep of sal­va­tion; we have been changed deep­ly (Ez 36:26–27), we are be­ing changed deep­ly (2 Cor. 3:18), and we will be changed deep­ly (1 John 3:2). The first verse is au­to­bi­o­graph­ic­al, as is the sec­ond verse with its var­i­a­tion on a prone to wan­der theme. Verse three and four get us on the path of gird­ed loins, fol­low­ing the Lord with eyes fo­cused on the end of our faith. The fin­al verse finds us at last in hea­ven when our change will won­der­ful­ly be con­sum­mat­ed com­plet­ely.

The me­lo­dy is most oft­en as­so­ci­at­ed with the old Eng­lish bal­lad, Bar­ba­ra Allen, but it has al­so oc­ca­sion­al­ly part­nered with Chris­tian lyr­ics in cen­tu­ries gone by.

Stephen Pop­o­vich, 2013

Lyrics

When once I begged Thee save my soul,
Thy mercy fast did meet me;
My scarlet sins turned white as snow
As Thou did change me deeply.

Yet bends my heart to empty fare
Where fruitless lands receive me,
And stays the joy Thy yoke would share
’Till Lord Thou change me deeply.

If furnace fire that burns the dross
Will make me fit to please Thee,
Then help me now pick up my cross
That Thou might change me deeply.

For when salvation fullness comes
In clouds where I shall see Thee,
What joy to hear Thy word well done,
If now Thou change me deeply.

And then at last will come the hour
To consummate completely
Thy wonder of resurrection pow’r
As Thou shall change me deeply.