Oh, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

The Apostle Paul expressed his wish that all people could understand “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height” of “the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Ephesians 3:18–19). The words of this hymn describe how that divine love lifts and carries us. The text was written by Samuel Trevor Francis, an English lay preacher and poet.

While compiling the volume of poetry that included the text of “Oh, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus,” Francis became afflicted with partial blindness. Despite the darkness in his vision, he hoped his poetry would “show how light, hope and joy may be found.”

The text compares the ocean’s powerful current to the Savior’s infinite love, which is “vast, unmeasured, boundless, free—rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!” The music, composed by Stephen M. Jones, reflects this image in the motion of its melody and bass lines, which in their rise and fall are meant to depict the movement of ocean waves.

Find lyrics, sheet music, and recordings for Oh, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

Scriptures

Principles

It is only through Jesus Christ that we can obtain mercy and be saved.
Jesus Christ’s love and Atonement are perfect and eternal, and they extend to all of God’s children.
Jesus Christ is aware of each of God’s children and our individual needs.

Questions to Ponder

How can relying on the Lord’s love help you to endure to the end?
What changes might you need to make in your life to feel His love more regularly?
How can you help someone else feel Christ’s love?

Related Gospel Study Guides

From Topics and Questions, Gospel Library:

Activities for Families

Count the references to the depth of the Savior’s love. Talk with your children about the different meanings of the word deep. Ask them to think of something or someone they love deeply and why. Then discuss how Jesus Christ’s love is deep—endless, strong, and constant—and how this hymn compares His love to the ocean. Play a recording of this hymn, and encourage your children to count on their fingers how many times they hear words that remind them of a deep ocean. Afterward, compare how many fingers each person used. Invite family members to do this again the next time they sing the hymn at church.
Feel the strong beats of this hymn. Invite your children to “swim” in a make-believe ocean while listening to this hymn. Show them a simple swimming motion they can follow. For example, they could start with their hands together at their chest, extend them forward, make a heart shape, and bring them back to their chest. Have them repeat the motion with each strong beat of the music. As you listen and move together, imagine swimming in an ocean of Jesus Christ’s deep love.