Father of Heaven Whose Love Profound
Father of heaven, whose love profound
This hymn exemplifies Lutheran emphasis on God's boundless love revealed through creation and redemption, centering on divine majesty and human dependence on grace. It reflects Reformation theology emphasizing God's sovereign love as the source of salvation and human worthiness only through Christ.
History & Background
Written by Edward Cooper, an English evangelical clergyman, and published in his 1805 collection. The hymn became widely adopted in English and American Protestant hymnodies throughout the 19th century.
Hymnal Appearances
- Trinity Hymnal — 103
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 242
Bulletin Note
Written by Edward Cooper in 1805, this hymn exemplifies Lutheran theology's insistence that God's love precedes and transcends human merit, addressing sinfulness with grace rather than judgment.
Preaching Connection
This hymn crystallizes the Gospel's power to transform the Law's accusation of human unworthiness into joyful recognition that our value rests entirely in God's profound, sovereign love revealed through Christ.
Themes
God's love and mercy Divine providence Human redemption Gratitude for grace Worship and praise