O Love Who Madest Me to Wear
O Love who madest me to wear
This hymn expresses Lutheran understanding of Christ's substitutionary atonement and the Christian's participation in His suffering through sanctification. It reflects the theological tension between Christ's complete work and the believer's continued struggle against sin and the old Adam.
History & Background
Written by Henry Twells in 1868, this hymn was first published in his collection and subsequently included in various Church of England and Lutheran hymnals throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. It reflects Victorian-era meditative hymnody focused on Christ's sufferings and the Christian call to follow Him.
Hymnal Appearances
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 397
Bulletin Note
Written by Henry Twells (1868), this Common Meter hymn anchors Lutheran theology of the atonement in the image of Christ's incarnate flesh, uniting His substitutionary suffering with the believer's sanctified participation in redemption.
Preaching Connection
This hymn deepens the Gospel's promise: Christ's substitutionary obedience frees us from sin's condemnation and empowers us to bear our own cross, transforming the Law's demands into the loving call of discipleship.
Catechism & Confessional Connections
- The Daily Purpose of Baptism Small Catechism — Holy Baptism
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Psalm 23 Christological transformation: establishment of Christ's sovereign care (1-2) → confession of human waywardness and divine retrieval (3) → victory over death through Christ's passion (4) → sacramental communion and eschatological promise (5-6)
Themes
passion and suffering of Christ identification with Christ's sacrifice redemptive love Christ's example for suffering Christians