Behind the hymns: The Love of God

“The Love of God”, written by Frederick M. Lehman, 1917    v. 3 by Meir Ben Isaac Nehorai, 1050

The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star,

And reaches to the lowest hell;

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled,

And pardoned from his sin.

Refrain:

          Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure—

The saints’ and angels’ song.

When hoary time shall pass away,

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men who here refuse to pray,

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God’s love so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—

The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.

“The Love of God” had its roots in an 11^th century German Jewish poem, written in Aramaic, called “Hadamut Millan”. Throughout the poem, the theme of God’s eternal love and concern for His people is evident.

The 90 (!) acrostic couplets were composed in 1096 by Rabbi Mayer of Worms, Germany. This poem was (and still is) read during Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks. The poem was read just before the Ten Commandments were recited in the synagogue. 

The second stanza of Akdamut Millan is in the Jewish Prayer Book:

    At God’s command is infinite power,

    Which words cannot define.

    Were all the skies parchment,

    And all the reeds pens, and all the            oceans ink,

    And all who dwell on earth scribes,

    God’s grandeur could not be told.

Johanan ben Zakkai, a great rabbi during the Second Temple  period(30 AD- 90 AD) who studied under Rabbi Hillel, said,  “If all the heavens were parchments, and all the trees quills, and all the seas were ink, it would still be impossible to write down even a part of what I learned from my teacher.”

In 1917, Mr. Lehman and his daughter had been composing a new hymn entitled “The Love of God”. However, after the second stanza, they lacked inspiration to complete it. During that time, you didn’t have a hymn unless it had three verses, reflecting the Trinity. 

While travelling, they visited a German insane asylum and learned that one of the patients had recently been put to death. On the wall of his cell the following words had been penciled: 

   “Could we with ink the ocean fill, 

   And were the skies of parchment made,

   Were every stalk on earth a quill,

   And every man a scribe by trade; 

   To write the love of God above, 

   Would drain the ocean dry.  

   Nor could the scroll contain the whole, 

   Though stretched from sky to sky.”

Amazed, Lehman and his daughter realized that those words perfectly matched the rhythm of their new hymn, which became the third verse. 

The hymn was published in 1920, but it would take another 25 years until the hymn really “caught on.”

The medieval prayer which spoke of the POWER of God, was translated by the man in the asylum to the LOVE of God. Even while facing execution, he praised God for His endless love, never knowing that his words would be sung by so many believers around the world.

piano version of the song

male voice choir version of the song