Frances Ridley Havergal

Frances Ridley Havergal (December 14, 1836 - June 3, 1879) was born in the small village of Astley, Worcestershire. She followed in the footsteps of her father, William Henry Havergal, also a writer and composer of hymns, and though she remained in his shadow during his lifetime (where her stepmother wanted Frances to remain), today she is more well known and her hymns are more widely sung.

As she once described her own hymnwriting process: Writing is like praying for me; for I never seem to write even a verse by myself [...] Very often I have a most distinct and happy consciousness of direct answers.

Havergal recorded the completion of this hymn in November, 1870, though it was not published until 1874 in her collection titled Under the Surface. Its theme comes from 1 Peter 1:8 -- Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

O Savior, precious Savior,
Whom yet unseen we love!
O Name of might and favor,
All other names above!
We worship thee, we bless thee,
To thee, O Christ, we sing;
We praise thee, and confess thee
Our Life, our Hope, our Spring.

O Bringer of salvation,
Who wondrously hast wrought,
Thyself the revelation
Of love beyond our thought;
We worship thee, we bless thee,
To thee, O Christ, we sing;
We praise thee, and confess thee
Our Life, our Hope, our Spring.

In thee all fullness dwelleth,
All grace and power divine;
The glory that excelleth,
O Child of God, is thine;
We worship thee, we bless thee,
To thee, O Christ, we sing:
We praise thee, and confess thee
Our Life, our Hope, our Spring.

O grant the consummation
Of this our song above,
In endless adoration,
And everlasting love!
Then shall we praise and bless thee
Where perfect praises ring,
And evermore confess thee
Our Life, our Hope, our Spring.

Frances Ridley Havergal, 1870; alt.
Tune: WATERMOUTH (7.6.7.6.D.)
Arthur Henry Mann, 1881

In his study of women hymnwriters, Songs From the Hearts of Women (1903), writer Nicholas Smith writes of Havergal: From her consecrated girlhood to the hour of her departure, her prayer was that her life might be one anthem unto her Redeemer.


One Year Ago: Frances Ridley Havergal