Lovest thou me?

Hark, my soul! it is the Lord;
'Tis thy Saviour, hear his word;
Jesus speaks, and speaks to thee:
"Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me?

I deliver'd thee when bound,
And, when bleeding, heal'd thy wound;
Sought thee wand'ring, set thee right,
Turn'd thy darkness into light.

Can a woman's tender care
Cease towards the child she bare?
Yes, she may forgetful be,
Yet will I remember thee.

Mine is an unchanging love,
Higher than the heights above;
Deeper than the depths beneath,
Free and faithful, strong as death.

Thou shalt see my glory soon,
When the work of grace is done;
Partner of my throne shalt be,
Say, poor sinner, lov'st thou me?"

Lord, it is my chief complaint,
That my love is cold and faint;
Yet I love thee and adore,
Oh for grace to love thee more!

—William Cowper, on John 21:16


Tune: "Nun komm," Martin Luther (MIDI courtesy Hymnary.org)

About the Author

William Cowper (pronounced "cooper," 1731–1800), whose fa­ther was cha­plain to King George II, went through the mo­tions of be­com­ing an at­tor­ney, but ne­ver prac­ticed law. He lived near Ol­ney, Buck­ing­ham­shire, the name­sake town of the Ol­ney Hymns, which he co-wrote with John New­ton, au­thor of Amaz­ing Grace. Cow­per al­so wrote po­et­ry, in­clud­ing The Ne­gro’s Com­plaint, an an­ti-slav­ery work, and the 5,000-line "The Task." (Taken from The Cyber Hymnal.)