Common Hymnal - Love Divine All Loves Excelling Lyrics
Lyrics
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, Thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love Thou art;
Visit us with Thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit,
Into every troubled breast!
Let us all in Thee inherit;
Let us find that second rest.
Take away our bent to sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith, as its Beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
Come, Almighty to deliver,
Let us all Thy life receive;
Suddenly return and never,
Never more Thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above,
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing,
Glory in Thy perfect love.
Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Video
MHB 431 - LOVE DIVINE ALL LOVES EXCELLING
Meaning & Inspiration
MHB 431 - LOVE DIVINE ALL LOVES EXCELLING, released by Common Hymnal on June 22, 2020, stands as a testament to the enduring power and theological depth of Charles Wesley’s classic hymn. This rendition brings a fresh voice to verses that have shaped Christian worship for centuries, focusing on the profound and multifaceted nature of God's love. The hymn itself, penned in 1747, is a magnificent prayer, a yearning for spiritual transformation and a full experience of divine grace, making it a cornerstone of Christian expression across denominations. Common Hymnal’s contribution ensures these powerful words continue to resonate with contemporary believers, encouraging a deep reflection on our relationship with the Creator.
The hymn opens with an immediate and powerful declaration, "Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down." This line encapsulates the core of the Christian message: God's love is superior to all earthly affections, and it manifested supremely in the incarnation of Christ, the "Joy of heaven" who descended to earth (John 3:16, 1 John 4:8-10). The petition to "Fix in us thy humble dwelling; All thy faithful mercies crown!" is a prayer for the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence, inviting God to make a permanent home within the believer's heart, a promise found in passages like John 14:23 and Ephesians 3:17. It also acknowledges God's unfailing faithfulness, celebrated in Lamentations 3:22-23. The stanza continues by addressing Jesus as "all compassion, Pure unbounded love Thou art," highlighting His inherent character of mercy and limitless affection, echoing Christ’s compassionate actions throughout the Gospels (Matthew 9:36, Luke 15). The fervent plea, "Visit us with Thy salvation; Enter every trembling heart," reveals a profound desire for a personal encounter with Christ’s saving power, an open invitation for Him to dwell within, as spoken in Revelation 3:20 and Romans 10:9-10.
Moving into the second stanza, the hymn shifts to an invocation for the Holy Spirit's transformative work: "Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit, Into every troubled breast!" This imagery recalls the breath of God animating humanity and the new life brought by the Spirit (John 20:22, Ezekiel 37:9). The longing to "Let us all in Thee inherit; Let us find that second rest" points to the spiritual inheritance believers receive in Christ (Ephesians 1:11) and the ultimate, perfect rest promised to God's people (Hebrews 4:9-11, Matthew 11:28-30). Perhaps the most poignant petition in this section is, "Take away our bent to sinning; Alpha and Omega be," a cry for liberation from the persistent struggle with sin (Romans 7:19-24) and an affirmation of Christ’s complete sovereignty as the beginning and end of all things (Revelation 1:8, 22:13). The desire to see Christ as "End of faith, as its Beginning, Set our hearts at liberty" articulates a profound truth: He is both the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), and through Him, we find true freedom from spiritual bondage (John 8:36, Galatians 5:1).
The third stanza expresses a robust declaration of God’s power and a vision of unending devotion. "Come, Almighty to deliver, Let us all Thy life receive," is a confident appeal to God's boundless strength to rescue and infuse new life into believers (Isaiah 41:10, John 10:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17). The fervent hope, "Suddenly return and never, Never more Thy temples leave," articulates a deep yearning for Christ’s second coming and the promise of eternal communion, where believers will dwell with God forever (John 14:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Revelation 21:3). The subsequent lines "Thee we would be always blessing, Serve Thee as Thy hosts above, Pray and praise Thee without ceasing, Glory in Thy perfect love" paint a picture of ceaseless worship and service, mirroring the heavenly hosts (Psalm 103:1, Revelation 7:15, 22:3) and calling for a life marked by continuous prayer and praise (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). It’s a vision of a life fully immersed in adoration and gratitude for God's flawless love (1 John 4:18).
Finally, the hymn culminates in a breathtaking vision of future glory and complete transformation. "Finish, then, Thy new creation; Pure and spotless let us be" expresses a powerful request for God to complete the work of sanctification, transforming believers into the pure and unblemished beings He intends (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 5:27, 1 John 3:2-3). The hope to "Let us see Thy great salvation Perfectly restored in Thee" looks forward to the full realization of redemption, where all things are made new and complete in Christ (Romans 8:19-23, Colossians 1:21-22). The phrase "Changed from glory into glory, Till in heaven we take our place" powerfully describes the process of progressive sanctification, where believers are continually transformed by the Spirit into Christ's likeness, culminating in ultimate glorification in heaven (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:30). The hymn concludes with an image of ultimate worship: "Till we cast our crowns before Thee, Lost in wonder, love, and praise." This vivid picture of humility and adoration, echoing Revelation 4:10-11, captures the essence of eternal worship, where believers, utterly overwhelmed by God's magnificence, offer everything back to Him, dissolving into boundless wonder, love, and praise. Common Hymnal’s treatment of this lyrical masterpiece serves as a powerful invitation to contemplate these profound truths, encouraging a deeper walk of faith and a more vibrant expression of devotion.