My Jesus, I Love Thee

My Jesus, I love thee, I know thou art mine,
For thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art thou,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love thee, because thou hast first loved me,
And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;
I love thee for wearing the thorns on thy brow;
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus 'tis now.

I will thee in life, I will love thee in death,
And praise thee as long as thou lendest me breath;
And say when the death-dew lies cold on my brow,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight,
I'll ever adore thee in heaven so bright;
I'll sing with the glittering crown on my brow,
If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

—William Ralph Featherstone
(from The Service of Song for Baptist Churches, 1876)


Tune: "Affection," J. Ellis (MIDI courtesy Hymnary.org)

About the Author

William Ralph Featherstone (1846–1873) is apparently lost to history, ex­cept that he wrote this devotional poem upon his conversion at the age of sixteen. It was later found and published by Adoniram Gordon (who wrote "Gordon," the most familiar tune paired with this text).