"Jesus Loves Me"

Author and hymnist, Anna B.Warner (1827-1915) wrote this favorite children’s song “Jesus Loves Me” in 1860. Warner was the second daughter of a New York lawyer, Henry Whiting Warner. Her mother died at her birth, and so her aunt took care of her and her older sister, Susan. In 1836, when Anna was eleven years old, her father bought property on Constitution Island and moved the family there. They lived a destitute life, however, due to their father’s monetary loss during the depression in 1837. She and her sister managed to eek out a mere existence for the family by writing various books, novels and hymns.

William B. Bradbury set the hymn to music in 1862. Bradbury’s contributions to religious music are considerable as he published at least fifty-nine hymnals. He also organized juvenile music conventions in New York. Many tunes he published are still popular today, but none as much as the children’s song, “Jesus Loves Me.”

“Jesus Loves Me”

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.

Refrain

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! This I know,
As He loved so long ago,
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to Me.”

Refrain

Jesus loves me still today,
Walking with me on my way,
Wanting as a friend to give
Light and love to all who live.

Refrain

Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

Refrain

Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.

Refrain

The words to “Jesus Loves Me” were first published in a novel written by Anna Warner and her sister Susan called Say and Seal. In the novel a little boy is dying and his schoolteacher sings this children’s song , including the following verse:

Jesus loves me! Loves me still,
Though I’m very weak and ill,
That I might from sin be free
Bled and died upon the tree.

“Jesus Loves Me”

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