"Jesu, our Hope, our heart’s Desire"

This early church hymn, “Jesu, our Hope, our heart’s Desire” is a 7^th or 8^th century Latin verse with an unknown author. The Latin title is Jesu nostra redemptio, Amor et desiderium. John Chandler (1806 – 1876) translated the Latin version into English. Chandler is consider to be the best translator of his time mainly due to his desire to see the Anglican Church correlate ancient prayers with the hymns that would have accompanied them at that time in history.

Richard Redhead (1820-1901), of Harrow, England set “Jesu, our Hope, our heart’s Desire” to music in 1859 for Ancient Hymn Melodies and Other Church Tunes. Richard Redhead was an organist at St. Mary Magdalene, in Paddington, for 30 years.

“Jesu, our Hope, our heart’s Desire”

Jesu, our Hope, our heart’s Desire,
Thy work of grace we sing;
Redeemer of the world art Thou,
Its Maker and its King.

How vast the mercy and the love,
Which laid our sins on Thee,
And led Thee to a cruel death,
To set Thy people free!

But now the bonds of death are burst;
The ransom has been paid;
And Thou art on Thy Father’s throne,
In glorious robes arrayed.

O may Thy mighty love prevail
Our sinful souls to spare!
O may we stand around Thy throne,
And see Thy glory there!

Jesu, our only Joy be Thou,
As Thou our Prize wilt be;
In Thee be all our glory now
And through eternity.

All praise to Thee Who art gone up
Triumphantly to Heav’n;
All praise to God the Father’s Name
And Holy Ghost be given.

Chandler chose to translate early church hymns from Latin like “Jesu, our Hope, our heart’s Desire” because of their “simple, striking, and devotional” qualities.

“Jesu, our Hope, our heart’s Desire”

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