Scripture Verse

I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

Introduction

portrait
Phoebe Knapp (1839–1908)

Words: Ma­ry D. James, in Gos­pel Gems, ed­it­ed by W. War­ren Bent­ley (Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts: George D. Rus­sell, 1878).

Music: Phoe­be P. Knapp (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Mary D. James (1810–1883)

Lyrics

Wondrous words! how rich in bless­ing!
Deeper than th’un­fathomed sea;
Broader than its world of waters,
Boundless, in­fi­nite and free.
Higher than the heav’ns above,
Is that ev­er­last­ing love!
Higher than the heav’ns above,
Is that ev­er­last­ing love!

Down to low­est depths it reach­es—
The all-lov­ing Fa­ther’s arm,
Toward His re­bel child­ren yearn­ing,
Drawing them with ma­gic charm.
Till the yield­ing spir­its move,
Touched by ev­er­last­ing love;
Till the yield­ing spir­its move,
Touched by ev­er­last­ing love.

Weary spir­its—sad with toil­ing,
’Mid the sor­rows of life’s way—
Feel their hea­vy bur­dens light­ened,
As they jour­ney day by day.
How with quick­ened steps they move,
Cheered by ev­er­last­ing love;
How with quick­ened steps they move,
Cheered by ev­er­last­ing love.

I have set thee as a sig­net,
Graven on My hands thy name;
Lo, I still am with thee al­ways,
Evermore thy friend—the same;
Never chang­ing—thou wilt prove
Mine is ev­er­last­ing love;
Never chang­ing—thou wilt prove
Mine is ev­er­last­ing love.

In My house of many man­sions,
I’ve pre­pared a place for thee,
Where are no dark clouds or tem­pests,
Where I am, there thou shalt be—
All the un­told bliss to prove,
Of My ev­er­last­ing love;
All the un­told bliss to prove,
Of My ev­er­last­ing love.