HOW I LOVE TO SING

Heather Allington

Heather writes for Sunday Song Book on behalf of the The Salvation Army Oshawa. As a lifelong member of the Army, she has loved these familiar - and some less familiar - songs for many years, and enjoys researching and writing about their origins. She is a wife, mother, grandmother and retired elementary school teacher who likes trying her hand at watercolour painting and poetry writing.

I love to sing of the Saviour
Who gave His life for me;
He fills my spirit with gladness,
For service sets me free.

How I love to sing,
How I love to sing,
How I love to sing of Jesus!
How I love to sing!

I love to sing of His beauty,
His greatness and His love,
A theme that thrills all creation
In earth and Heaven above.

I love to sing of His virtue,
His all-transforming might;
To sing of His great salvation
Be all my heart’s delight.

The lilting melody of this song of testimony is typical of much Swedish music of its time. It was written by Gosta Blomberg, a Swedish Salvationist who was born in Stockholm in 1905 and died there in 1981. His life was spent in various other locales, beginning with his entering the International Training College for Officers in London, England, in 1923. He served in corps appointments in Sweden and England before becoming private secretary to two territorial commanders in Sweden and then to General Evangeline Booth in London. His next move was to the United States, where he was a corps officer, a youth secretary and then General Secretary for Scandinavian work. Back home in Sweden in 1946, Blomberg became Editor-in-Chief and Literary Secretary, followed by a posting as Training College Principal. He held other administrative appointments in Sweden, Finland, Germany and Denmark, retiring as a Commissioner after serving as Territorial Commander for Sweden from 1966-73. Quite a career!

The above song has been arranged for Songsters by three different composers: Leslie Condon, Phil Laeger and Douglas Court, and Leslie Condon also wrote an arrangement for Band.

WORDS AND MUSIC: GOSTA BLOMBERG
S.A. SONG BOOK, 1987 EDITION, #178; 2015 EDITION, # 845
REFERENCES: USAWEST.ORG AND SALVATION ARMY MUSIC INDEX

How I Love to Sing – Jude Gotrich and David Rowland