1 US, who climb thy holy hill,
A general blessing make,
Let the world our influence feel,
Our gospel grace partake;
Grace to help in time of need,
Pour out on sinners from above,
All thy Spirit's fulness shed,
In showers of heavenly love.
2 Make our earthly souls a field
Which God delights to bless;
Let us in due season yield
The fruits of righteousness;
Make us trees of paradise,
Which more and more thy praise may show,
Deeper sink, and higher rise,
And to perfection grow.
Us, Who Climb Thy Holy Hill
Us, Who Climb Thy Holy Hill Song Meaning, Biblical Reference and Inspiration
The hymn "Us, Who Climb Thy Holy Hill," penned by the prolific eighteenth-century hymn writer Charles Wesley, serves as a profound prayer for both personal transformation and outward impact. Presented anew with a song video released on May 26, 2023, this timeless text continues to resonate, inviting believers to consider their role in the world and their relationship with the divine. The opening stanza voices a collective aspiration, identifying believers as those striving towards spiritual closeness with God ("Us, who climb thy holy hill"). It immediately broadens this focus into a fervent request to become instruments of blessing for all, asking that their lives and the "gospel grace" they have received might influence the world and be shared widely. The plea for God to "Pour out on sinners from above, All thy Spirit's fulness shed, In showers of heavenly love" underscores a deep desire for revival and the spread of divine grace beyond the immediate community of faith.
The second stanza shifts to a powerful series of agricultural and horticultural metaphors, illustrating the desired spiritual condition and growth of the believer. The prayer "Make our earthly souls a field Which God delights to bless" expresses a longing for lives to be fertile ground, receptive to God's work, and capable of producing spiritual fruit. This leads to the request to "Let us in due season yield The fruits of righteousness," highlighting the expected outcome of a soul cultivated by divine hands – actions and character that reflect God's nature. The imagery then transforms, asking God to "Make us trees of paradise," a picture of robust, vibrant spiritual life. The prayer continues for these 'trees' to demonstrate God's praise increasingly, emphasizing a dynamic process: they are to "Deeper sink, and higher rise," representing growth in both rootedness (understanding, faith, humility) and stature (maturity, influence, knowledge), ultimately striving "And to perfection grow."
The rich language of the hymn draws deeply from various biblical themes and specific scriptures, providing a firm foundation for its petitions. The idea of climbing God's "holy hill" recalls passages like Psalm 24:3, questioning who is worthy to ascend into the Lord's presence. The call to be a "general blessing" and let the world feel their "influence" aligns with the New Testament mandate for believers to be salt and light, sharing the good news and demonstrating God's love as described in passages such as Matthew 5:16 and Acts 1:8. The desire for "grace to help in time of need" mirrors the assurance found in Hebrews 4:16, inviting access to the throne of grace. The prayer for the Spirit's fullness and heavenly love being poured out echoes prophecies like Joel 2:28 and their fulfillment in Acts 2, as well as Paul's affirmation of God's love poured into our hearts through the Spirit in Romans 5:5. The metaphors of the soul as a "field" yielding "fruits of righteousness" resonate with Jesus' parables of the sower (Matthew 13) and the New Testament emphasis on the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the fruit of righteousness (Philippians 1:11). Finally, the imagery of "trees of paradise" growing deeper and higher towards "perfection" connects with descriptions of the blessed person like a tree by streams (Psalm 1:3), the tree of life (Revelation 2:7), and the New Testament call to grow in Christ towards maturity and fullness (Ephesians 4:13).
Wesley's hymn is more than just a theological statement; it is a heartfelt prayer expressing the core desires of a believer's journey: to be close to God, to be transformed internally, to grow continually, and to be effective agents of God's love and grace in the world. Its enduring message, presented through the contemporary lens of the 2023 video release, continues to inspire reflection and prayer, urging individuals and communities of faith to seek God's blessing not only for themselves but for the sake of the world around them, striving towards a life that brings glory and praise to God through its fruitfulness and growth.
