January 13, 2013

Blessed Assurance

By Joe

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:22 (KJV)
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight!
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, all is at rest!
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with his goodness, lost in His love.

This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.


Blessed Assurance” is a well-known Christian hymn. The lyrics were written in 1873 by blind hymn writer Fanny J. Crosby to the music written in 1873 by Phoebe P. Knapp.

Crosby was visiting her friend Phoebe Knapp as the Knapp home was having a large pipe organ installed. The organ was incomplete, so Mrs. Knapp, using the piano, played a new melody she had just composed. “What do you think the tune says?” asked Knapp.
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine”, answered Fanny Crosby.
The hymn appeared in the July 1873 issue of Palmer’s Guide to Holiness and Revival Miscellany, a magazine printed by Dr. and Mrs. W. C. Palmer of 14 Bible House, New York City. It appeared on page 36 (the last page) with complete text and piano score, and indicated it had been copyrighted by Crosby that year. It is not certain that this was the first printing of the hymn, but it certainly helped to popularize what became one of the most beloved hymns of all time.
Because of Crosby’s lyrics, the tune is now called “Assurance”.

About Joe

Unknown's avatar
I began my life in the South and for five years lived as a closeted teacher, but am now making a new life for myself as an oral historian in New England. I think my life will work out the way it was always meant to be. That doesn't mean there won't be ups and downs; that's all part of life. It means I just have to be patient. I feel like October 7, 2015 is my new birthday. It's a beginning filled with great hope. It's a second chance to live my life…not anyone else's. My profile picture is "David and Me," 2001 painting by artist Steve Walker. It happens to be one of my favorite modern gay art pieces. View all posts by Joe
This entry was posted on Sunday, January 13th, 2013 at 1:39 pm and posted in Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

2 responses to “Blessed Assurance”

  • Unknown's avatar silvereagle
    January 13th, 2013 at 4:49 pm

    A strong statement of the Christian faith, using the affirmative "IS" rather than the week "I hope" or "may be"- I have grown up hearing this song from my infancy.. and heard it only this past week. Nice to know the history of it!

    Reply
  • Unknown's avatar Jay M.
    January 13th, 2013 at 5:08 pm

    Has always been one of my favorites, nice to learn more about it. You see the composers listed in the hymnals but no one (me included) ever looks them up to see what the story was behind a hymn that we find everywhere in the Christian faith.Peace <3Jay

    Reply

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