The Love Of God, Is Greater Far

THE LOVE OF GOD, IS GREATER FAR

Some hymns lift our spirits with their catchy tunes, many elevate us with their encouraging lyrics and others tell of great, inspiring stories of life-changing events. But there are a handful of hymns that help define for us what we believe about God and His kingdom.

The early church used hymns to teach doctrine when copies of the Bible were rare. Hymns tell us the great truths about God. “Amazing Grace” teaches us about His mercy. “How Great Thou Art” proclaims His glory. We love these hymns for their timeless music, but it’s the lyrics that take our faith to the deepest depths. Such a hymn is “The Love Of God, Is Greater Far.”

After Frederick Lehman’s business failed, he found himself packaging fruit in a warehouse to make ends meet. After hearing an inspiring sermon about the love of God, he decided to write a song about it. He found himself writing his hymn while he worked, scribbling notes on the crates as he packaged oranges and limes. The tune came together, but he struggled to form the words. How do you put such a great and wondrous thing as God’s love into verse?

During this time, he remembered a poem a friend had shared with him. After work, one night, he went into his office at home and retrieved the poem. It had been written 200 years earlier on the wall of a prison cell. A worker was painting the jail when he saw the words. He was so startled by what he read that he scribbled them down before covering them up forever.

They were words that had been a respite for some unknown, imprisoned soul. They were a daily reminder to that prisoner of the depth and breadth of a God who offered His love to everyone, regardless of place and circumstance. They were written for one man’s consolation but their preservation made it possible for another to put them into a hymn for all of us to read and marvel at. You may not know the hymn but you will not forget it’s incredible grasp of God’s love. Here is the final form of Frederick Lehmans’s hymn and the words written by a long forgotten soul.

https://youtu.be/tfIOLNn-AT0?si=UXzna4NxOZqBo6ZO

THE LOVE OF GOD, IS GREATER FAR

1 - The love of God is greater far

than tongue or pen can ever tell;

it goes beyond the highest star,

and reaches to the lowest hell.

The wand'ring child is reconciled

by God's beloved Son.

The aching soul again made whole,

and priceless pardon won.

Refrain:

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure—

the saints’ and angels’ song.

2 - When ancient time shall pass away,

and human thrones and kingdoms fall;

when those who here refuse to pray

on rocks and hills and mountains call;

God’s love so sure, shall still endure,

all measureless and strong;

grace will resound the whole earth round

the saints’ and angels’ song. [Refrain]

3 - Could we with ink the ocean fill,

and were the skies of parchment made;

were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill,

and ev’ryone a scribe by trade;

to write the love of God above

would drain the ocean dry;

nor could the scroll contain the whole,

though stretched from sky to sky. [Refrain]