Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Album: Abide With Me (1747)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Charles Wesley was a prolific hymn writer, penning over 6000 hymns, more than any other male writer. (19th century blind lyricist Fanny Crosby wrote over 8000). He had the ability of expressing sublime truth in simple ways, his motivation in writing his hymns being to teach the poor and illiterate good doctrine. Wesley's brother, John, said that Charles hymnal was the best theological book in existence. It is said Methodism was born in song and Charles was the chief songwriter. Amongst the other hymns Charles Wesley wrote were, "O For A Thousand Tongues" and "Jesus, Lover of my Soul."
  • Wesley got the idea for this hymn from a popular song of the day, "Fairest Isle, All Isles Excelling" - part of a semi-opera about King Arthur by John Dryden set to music by Henry Purcell. Whilst the tune provided the music and metre for the hymn, the words concern divine love, not the pagan one of Dryden's lyric. The hymn first appeared in Wesley's 1747 collection Hymns for those that seek, and those that have Redemption.
  • This is a frequent choice of hymn for a wedding service. It's celebration of divine love making it suitable as the first hymn praising God in whose presence everyone has assembled. Alternatively it suitable as the second hymn sung after the marriage ceremony in praise and celebration of the union.
  • "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" by King's College Choir of Cambridge was sung at the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on September 19, 2022.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," Kiss

Director Paul Rachman on "Hunger Strike," "Man in the Box," KissSong Writing

After cutting his teeth on hardcore punk videos, Paul defined the grunge look with his work on "Hunger Strike" and "Man in the Box."

Spooner Oldham

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."