Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Charles Wesley's prayer for Christ's love to fill, change, and crown the believer.
Download PDFCharles Wesley's prayer for Christ's love to fill, change, and crown the believer. Written by Charles Wesley (1747), set to the tune "Beecher" by John Zundel.
Suggested pairing scripture
1 John 4:8
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
Read 1 John 4:8 (KJV) aloud as a call to worship before the congregation sings "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling." It anchors the hymn in the Word from which it flows.
Read in contextWhen to sing this
Sing in regular congregational worship, in family devotions, and any time the heart turns to God in song.
Lyrics
Stanza 1
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.
Stanza 2
Breathe, O breathe Thy loving Spirit Into every troubled breast; Let us all in Thee inherit, Let us find the promised rest. Take away the love of sinning; Alpha and Omega be; End of faith, as its beginning, Set our hearts at liberty.
Stanza 3
Come, Almighty to deliver, Let us all Thy life receive; Suddenly return, and never, Nevermore 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.
Stanza 4
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.
History & Background
Published in Wesley's 'Hymns for Those That Seek and Those That Have Redemption' (1747). The hymn expresses the Wesleyan doctrine of Christian perfection — God's love progressively transforming the believer until faith becomes sight. The tune 'Beecher' was composed by John Zundel in 1870 and named for Henry Ward Beecher, Zundel's pastor at Plymouth Church, Brooklyn.
Scripture Behind the Hymn
2 Corinthians 3:18
"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."Read in context
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'changed from glory into glory' mean?
It echoes 2 Corinthians 3:18 — the believer is progressively transformed by the Spirit into the likeness of Christ, until faith gives way to sight in heaven.
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Where to go next
Enjoyed "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"? These pages pair well with it for worship planning.
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