How Deep the Father's Love for Us
How deep the Father's love for us
The hymn presents a deeply Lutheran understanding of substitutionary atonement, emphasizing Christ's sacrificial death for undeserving sinners and the Father's incomprehensible love. It resonates with Lutheran soteriology by stressing justification by grace through faith and the centrality of the cross.
History & Background
Written by Stuart Townend in 1995, this modern hymn gained widespread popularity in both evangelical and mainline Protestant churches. It was included in Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006) and has become a staple of contemporary Lutheran worship.
Hymnal Appearances
- All Creation Sings — 914
- Baptist Hymnal — 228
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 765
- Glory to God — subject to confirmation
- Lift Up Your Hearts — 168
- Voices Together — 246
Bulletin Note
Stuart Townend's 1995 composition presents substitutionary atonement through the lens of the Father's unfathomable love, rooting modern worship in classical Lutheran soteriology and the centrality of Christ's redemptive sacrifice.
Preaching Connection
This hymn amplifies the Gospel's response to human sinfulness by making vivid the Father's love as the sole ground of our justification—inviting preachers to connect the cross's substitutionary work to the listening congregation's own liberation from guilt.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Second Article (Concerning Redemption) Small Catechism — The Apostles' Creed
- Of Justification Augsburg Confession
Themes
Atonement God's love and mercy Redemption through Christ Sacrifice of Christ