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Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

871 views β€’ Apr 7, 2022

Description

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee Joan J. Pinkston, orch. Sarah Kravets Conductor: Yuriy Kravets https://www.lyricasacra.com
The Historic Faith · Hymn Companion

Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

Words by Bernard of Clairvaux (attributed); translated by Edward CaswallMusic by John Bacchus DykesWritten Tune ST. AGNES

Jesus, the very thought of thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far thy face to see,
And in thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than thy blest name,
O Savior of mankind!

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is
None but his loved ones know.

Jesus, our only joy be thou,
As thou our prize wilt be;
Jesus, be thou our glory now,
And through eternity.

Story Behind the Song

The text is an English translation by Edward Caswall of the medieval Latin devotional poem Jesu dulcis memoria, traditionally attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux. Caswall’s translation appeared in his Lyra Catholica in 1849. The hymn is most commonly sung to ST. AGNES, a tune written by John Bacchus Dykes in the 19th century.

Scripture

Found In

The Hymnal 1982, Trinity Hymnal, The United Methodist Hymnal, Lutheran Service Book, Baptist Hymnal