THE LOVE OF JESUS

Alexander Stevenson (among the papers of John Macdonald) From off the throne eternal He came to earth below—

From off the throne eternal He came to bear our woe,

He came to scorn and hatred, He came to shame and loss, He came to be a victim, to die at Calvary’s cross—

To die alone in darkness, with none His grief to share (And though He looked for sympathy, no sympathy was there)!

Alone amid the darkness He died for you and me;

Oh! the mighty love of Jesus, it could no greater be.

Tell me of earth no longer, tell me of earth no more—

The mighty love of Jesus has made my heart run o’er,

Oh, it is all so wondrous, it doth my thoughts confound—

I can but bow and worship with reverence profound,

That He should leave the glories of that bright home on high, For me to come and suffer, for me, for me to die;

His love beyond all measure, unbounded full and free; Oh! the wondrous love of Jesus it could no greater be.

They tell me this, dear reader, that the heart’s constructed so That it must have some object where its love it can bestow; But, ah! I’ve found an object that doth my heart command—

The Christ of God in glory, enthroned at His right hand; For me, the One who suffered—the One who for me died—

With agony unblended, as on the Cross He cried;

His path of suffering ended, His work, His travail o’er, He lives amid the glory to die again no more.

My heart and my affections how can I now retain;

Oh! how can I but love Him, who once for me was slain, Ah! no! I could not, would not, my love for Him deny

For Him who came to suffer—for me, for me to die,

‘Tis love I cannot measure—‘tis love that has no end—

‘Tis love that all things earthly completely doth transcend; Eternal, uncreated, unmeasured full and free;

Oh! the mighty love of Jesus, it could no greater be.

From ‘The Greatness of Christ’
1926