What Wondrous Love Is This

You get an mp3 of the recording, mp3s of rehearsal tracks for baritone and alto, a piano-only mp3, and pdfs of the piano/vocal score and the vocal-only score. Sung here by Peter Amidon, Fred Breunig, Mary Alice Amidon and Robin Davis, Peter on piano. Here is a YouTube of the film Peter made of this arrangement for a Guilford Community Church virtual service. The original Wondrous Love was a camp meeting song first published in 1811. Peter Amidon learned it as an early American four-part a cappella shape note hymn from the Sacred Harp collection, first published in 1844. The melody is from the pirate ballad “Captain Kidd” and the text is anonymous.

• Word of Mouth Chorus 1978 from the Sacred Harp (Mary Alice & Peter sing on this)
• Texas Sacred Harp Sing

LYRICS:

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul?
What wondrous love is this, O my soul?
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul?

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb I will sing,
to God and to the Lamb who is the great I Am,
while millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
while millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on,
and when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
and through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
and through eternity I’ll sing on.