Friday, March 1, 2013

Song of the Month - "My Song is Love Unkown"

We are currently in the season of Lent.  Lent is a season of repentance as the church leads up to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.  It is a time to focus on our sin and the wonderful sacrifice that Jesus, our Savior, provided through His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead. 

13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
    he shall be high and lifted up,
    and shall be exalted.
14 As many were astonished at you—
    his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
    and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
15 so shall he sprinkle many nations;
    kings shall shut their mouths because of him;
for that which has not been told them they see,
    and that which they have not heard they understand.
53 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
    And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
    and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
    and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
    a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
    he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
                                                                              Isaiah 52:13 - 53:3 (ESV)

The hymn for this month, "My Song is Love Unknown" is largely based on these verses from Isaiah.  The hymn was written by Samuel Crossman.  Here is the text:

My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me,
Love to the loveless shown
That they might lovely be.
O who am I
That for my sake
My Lord should take
Frail flesh, and die?


He came from His blest throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men made strange, and none
The longed-for Christ would know.
But, oh, my friend,
My Friend indeed,
Who at my need
His life did spend!


Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King.
Then “Crucify!”
Is all their breath,
And for His death
They thirst and cry.


Why, what hath my Lord done?
What makes this rage and spite?
He made the lame to run,
He gave the blind their sight.
Sweet injuries!
Yet they at these
Themselves displease
And 'gainst Him rise.


They rise and needs will have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they save,
The Prince of Life they slay.
Yet steadfast He
To suff'ring goes,
That He His foes
From thence might free.


In life no house, no home
My Lord on earth might have;
In death no friendly tomb
But what a stranger gave.
What my I say?
Heav'n was His home
But mine the tomb
Wherein He lay.


Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine!
Never was love, dear King,
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend,
In whose sweet praise
I all my days
Could gladly spend!

(LSB 430)