Savior Thy Dying Love
Savior, Thy dying love
Savior Thy Dying Love is a hymn text by Sylvanus Dryden Phelps (1862) in 7.7.7.7 meter. Found in CW93 488, bh08 370, lw 374, tlh 403. Sung to JESUS LOVES ME.
The hymn emphasizes the Lutheran understanding of justification through Christ's sacrificial death, calling the believer to responsive gratitude and total self-dedication. It reflects the Protestant emphasis on personal appropriation of redemptive grace in response to Christ's atoning love.
History & Background
Written by American Baptist minister Sylvanus Dryden Phelps in 1862, this hymn first appeared in various nineteenth-century American hymnals. The text became widely used in both evangelical and liturgical Protestant traditions.
Hymnal Appearances
- Christian Worship — 488
- Baptist Hymnal — 370
- Lutheran Worship — 374
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 403
- United Methodist Hymnal — 609
Bulletin Note
Written by Sylvanus Dryden Phelps in 1862, this hymn captures the nineteenth-century evangelical emphasis on personal appropriation of Christ's atoning work, sung to the tune "Something for Me"—itself a statement of grateful obligation.
Preaching Connection
This hymn powerfully embodies the Gospel's double movement: Christ's dying love for us awakens the Law's demand for our complete self-dedication in joyful response.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law-Gospel movement: human righteousness exposed as insufficient (stanzas 1-2), Christ's alien righteousness imputed and clothing the believer (stanzas 3-4), concluding in faith-alone boasting
Background Research
Sylvanus Dryden Phelps (1816–1895), Baptist minister: 28 years pastor of First Baptist, New Haven, Connecticut, briefly at Jefferson Street Baptist, Providence, then editor of The Christian Secretary; co-editor of The Baptist Praise Book (1871). He wrote it in 1862, and it appeared anonymously in 1863 in The Youth's Companion under the title 'Something for Thee'. Years later Robert Lowry ('Shall we gather at the river') saw it, asked Phelps for it, and Phelps rewrote it. Lowry composed SOMETHING FOR JESUS and printed it in Pure Gold for the Sunday School (1871). For Phelps's 70th birthday Lowry wrote that a long life would be worthwhile if it had produced only this hymn. Theme: response to Christ's dying love (Gal 2:20), 'Something for thee', giving heart and life in thanks. A sanctification-as-gratitude hymn, the right Lutheran order (gift then response).
Sources: Melody Publications blog.
Overview
An American hymn of consecration by the Baptist pastor Sylvanus Phelps. Christ gave his dying love; how can I withhold anything? (st. 1). Faith looks to Christ pleading at the mercy seat, asking help to bear the cross and declare his love (st. 2); it asks for a faithful heart, so each day may see some work of love or some wanderer won (st. 3); and offers all it is and has, ending with the ransomed soul itself as 'something for Thee' (st. 4). The motive throughout is gratitude for Christ's prior gift.
Central theme: Grateful self-giving in response to Christ's dying love
Structure
Four eight-line stanzas (6.4.6.4.6.6.6.4) ending 'Something for Thee.' His love and my offering (1) — his intercession and my cross (2) — daily works of love (3) — all I am (4).
Law & Gospel Shape
Gospel first: 'Thy dying love Thou gavest me' (1); 'pleading for me' (2). The rest is new obedience as response.
Confessional Connections
Good works are fruits of faith and gratitude, not causes of salvation (AC VI, XX; FC IV). The order is right: Christ's 'dying love' given first (st. 1), his intercession at the mercy seat (st. 2), then our response. 'All that I am and have, Thy gifts so free' (st. 4) — everything we offer is first his gift (1 Cor 4:7; SC First Article). Works of love toward the neighbor and witness to 'wanderers' (st. 3) are vocation in Christ (AC XVI).
Liturgical Use (Study Notes)
Stewardship; offertory; consecration; Trinity season.
Historical Notes
Phelps (1816-1895), a Baptist pastor in New Haven, Connecticut, wrote it in 1862.
About the Tune
WINTERTON (Joseph Barnby, 1892).
Scripture References
Acts 9:6 Gal 2:20 Rom 12:1 2 Cor 5:14-15 Heb 4:14-16 Rom 8:34 Luke 9:23 Ps 145:4-7 Eph 2:10 Gal 6:9-10 Jas 5:19-20 1 Cor 4:7 Rom 14:8 Eph 1:12
Stanza by Stanza
Savior, you gave me your dying love; I should hold nothing back from you, dear Lord. My soul would bow in love, my heart fulfil its vow, and bring you some offering now — something for you.
Acts 9:6 (TLH's text): Paul's question, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' 'Who loved me and gave himself for me' (Gal 2:20). 'The love of Christ controls us… that those who live might no longer live for themselves' (2 Cor 5:14-15). Rom 12:1.
- Scripture
- Acts 9:6, Gal 2:20, 2 Cor 5:14-15, Rom 12:1
- Imagery & language
- Dying love; offering.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel first; response follows.
- Connection to previous
- His dying love.
Over the blessed mercy seat, pleading for me, my weak faith looks up to you, Jesus. Help me carry my cross, declare your wonderful love, and raise some song or prayer — something for you.
Christ the High Priest interceding (Heb 4:14-16; Rom 8:34). 'My feeble faith' — weak faith still looks to the strong Savior. Cross-bearing (Luke 9:23). Declaring his love (Ps 145:4-7).
- Scripture
- Heb 4:14-16, Rom 8:34, Luke 9:23, Ps 145:4-7
- Imagery & language
- Mercy-seat; feeble faith; cross.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — his intercession.
- Connection to previous
- His pleading.
Give me a faithful heart, likeness to you, so that from now on each passing day may see some work of love begun, some kind deed done, some wanderer sought and won — something for you.
Conformity to Christ (Rom 8:29). Works 'which God prepared beforehand' (Eph 2:10). 'Let us not grow weary of doing good' (Gal 6:9-10). Winning a wanderer (Jas 5:19-20).
- Scripture
- Rom 8:29, Eph 2:10, Gal 6:9-10, Jas 5:19-20
- Imagery & language
- Faithful heart; works of love; wanderer won.
- Law / Gospel
- New obedience.
- Connection to previous
- Daily love.
All that I am and have — your free gifts — in joy and grief, through all of life, dear Lord, are for you! And when I see your face, my ransomed soul will be something for you through all eternity.
'What do you have that you did not receive?' (1 Cor 4:7). 'Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's' (Rom 14:8). The ransomed soul itself as offering — 'to the praise of his glory' (Eph 1:12).
- Scripture
- 1 Cor 4:7, Rom 14:8, Eph 1:12, Rev 22:4
- Imagery & language
- All I am; ransomed soul.
- Law / Gospel
- Gospel — all is gift.
- Connection to previous
- All for Thee.
Themes
Sacrificial love of Christ Personal dedication to Christ Self-surrender Redemption Grace