****WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS?

There is a myth about the origin of many of our hymns that goes something like this:

"The melodies for some of our great hymns of the Christian faith were originally bar tunes."

Even though that's been debunked many times, it just won't go away.   The problem is a misunderstanding of musical terminology.  

Hymnwriters did, and still do use bar tunes, but that doesn't mean what we think.  The correct terminology is a “bar form,” which is a specific musical form where there are two identical or similar lines followed by a contrasting one.  That form would be noted musically, as AAB or in some cases, AABA.  (An example of that form would be the hymn, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.")

Today’s Hymn was not written in a pure, classic bar form, but the tune was associated with a well-known old song, “The Ballad of Captain Kidd,” the infamous Scottish pirate.

That 18-verse ballad tells a very dark and stunning story about an arrogant man who, in the late 1600s, rejected his godly upbringing, thumbed his nose at God’s laws, and terrorized and murdered a lot of people.  Ultimately, he was hanged, publicly, in a cage and left to rot along the River Thames.

The first stanza says:

My name was William Kidd, as I sailed, as I sailed,

My name was William Kidd when I sailed,

My name was William Kidd; God’s laws I did forbid,

So wickedly I did, as I sailed.

In contrast to that ballad of a ruined sinful life, is an American Folk Spiritual, that shares the same tune and structure.  WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS? is a song of praise to God for His great grace and mercy.  It originated in the revivalist camp meetings of the American South.

Written music was rare in the early 1800's, and spiritual songs were passed down orally.  So, for ease of memorization, the writers kept their texts simple and used a lot of repetition.

This is a personal, introspective hymn that addresses our souls.   And, even though it’s simple, it is not shallow. 

It starts with a profound question and a fearful sense of overwhelming awe.  What kind of love is this that would cause the Lord to “bear the dreadful curse for my soul?”

It’s reminiscent of another hymn, written by Charles Wesley.  The first stanza of, And Can It Be, ends with similar language, "Amazing love!  How can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?"

WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS?  is a simple and biblical summary of the gospel.  It was God’s love that sent His Son to earth to bear the punishment for our sins.  Therefore, we should praise Him in this life and we look forward with assurance that we will sing His praises for eternity.

(the entire 18 verses of The Ballad of Captain Kid can be viewed HERE.)