O Love Supreme, Exceeding Broad

For Christmas

Translator: John Brownlie

Meter 8.8.6.8.8.6

O Despotou philanthropias!

Source: John Brownlie, Trans., Hymns of the Apostolic Church (Paisley: Alexander Gardner, 1909)
See: Christmas Hymns from John Brownlie

I

O Love supreme, exceeding broad,
Great source of love, the love of God,
Outreaching all we know;
High as the heavens where glories shine,
Far towers that mighty love divine,
And deep as hell below.

II

God looked from heaven on man's estate,
To view our need exceeding great,
And all our loss and shame;
And God Incarnate came to earth,
The Godman by mysterious birth,
And bore our sinful name.

III

He walked the earth, but all unknown;
In vain the love of God was shown,
For sinners spurned His grace;
And while He pled, they mocking cried,
"Away, let Him be crucified,"
And mocked Him to His face.

IV

They raised Him up 'twixt earth and sky,
And left the Godman there to die,
In all His suffering sore;
And ere He died, the prayer was made
That guilt might not on men be laid,
For all the ill He bore.

V

O love supreme, so broad, so high!
Here, prostrate, at the Cross I lie,
But I adore and praise;
For me, for me, Thy blood was spilt,
Mine is the sin, and mine the guilt—
O God, my guilt erase.

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