WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL JESUS

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.

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL JESUS

There is never a day so dreary,
There is never a night so long,
But the soul that is trusting in Jesus
Will somewhere find a song.

CHORUS:
Wonderful, wonderful Jesus!
In the heart He implanteth a song:
A song of deliverance, of courage, of strength;
In the heart He implanteth a song.

There is never a cross so heavy,
There is never a weight of woe,
But that Jesus will help to carry
Because He loveth so.

There is never a care or burden,
There is never a grief or loss,
But that Jesus in love will lighten
When carried to the cross.

There is never a guilty sinner,
There is never a wandering one,
But that God can in mercy pardon,
Through Jesus Christ, His Son.

Perhaps someone reading these words is feeling overwhelmed by troubling circumstances in their lives or the lives of others. May you take heart and look for the “song” Jesus has for you – maybe a seemingly insignificant thought, but one that will give you hope.

Little biographical information is available regarding either the author or the composer of this heart-lifting hymn. Author Anna Belle Russell lived in New York State from 1862 to 1954. She and her sister, Cora, lived together, were members of the First Methodist Church in the town of Corning, and both wrote hymns. As her life dates show, Anna, like many other hymnwriters, lived through the years of some worldwide disasters: two World Wars and an influenza epidemic.

Composer Ernest Sellers also wrote music for numerous hymns. His music seems especially fitting for this song. Although the message is meant to encourage us to bring our burdens to Jesus, it is not superficially over-cheerful, but rather sympathizes with those who are feeling the weight of their troubles. If you need solace, may you find some as you contemplate the lyrics and listen to the melody.

WORDS: ANNA BELLE RUSSELL; MUSIC: ERNEST O. SELLERS

S.A. SONG BOOK, 1987 EDITION, #186; 2015 EDITION, #896

REFERENCES: USAWEST.ORG; HYMNARY.ORG