“Jesus My Savior Thou Art Mine”
James G. Deck
Songs and Hymns of Life #113
Please sing through the hymn before going on to the devotional below. Click here for audio of the tune.
Verse 1
Jesus, my Savior! Thou art mine,
The Father’s gift of love divine;
All Thou hast done, and all Thou art,
Are now the portion of my heart.
What an overjoyed ode to our Lord! James G. Deck’s reveling in the joy of our Lord can not even contain itself to hold back the exclamation point through the first line! His heart overflows with the portion it enjoys. In writing this, it is almost as if the author is beside himself as he grasps the vastness of the blessing made available to him. All that Jesus has accomplished is made ours! Even more than that, all that He is in His human and divine virtues is the grace to which our hearts have been granted access. And this is the portion that Deck himself is enjoying in this verse!
It’s as if he were at work and busy in the obligations of the day, then out of nowhere, almost out of the corner of his eye, the presence of the Lord begins to call his heart, wooing him out of the mundane, and he finds himself caught up in the simple sweet bliss of knowing such a Savior. And it’s only a Monday! What else will my Savior do this week?
Verse 2
Poor, feeble, wretched, as I am,
I now can glory in Thy name;
Now cleansed in Thy most precious blood
And made the righteousness of God.
One treasure of this hymn is how present and immediate the mindset is. Though I still am poor, feeble and wretched, I now can glory in Thy name and now am cleansed in your blood. This is my stand now! No need to wallow in self pity. I have His precious name to call upon and He has made me the righteousness of God.
Verse 3
All that Thou hast Thou hast for me,
All my fresh springs are hid in Thee;
In Thee I live; while I confess
I nothing am, yet all possess.
Too often one can get caught up with what one should be and do for the Lord. But what a revelation it is that the Lord is first concerned for what He is for us. He is the One who is carrying out His work, not us. All that He has, He has it and has gained it for me, for my salvation and transformation unto His likeness. How then do I get out of my worker mode and receive all that He has for me? By finding what is hidden in His person: the freshest of your springs. Here is the beginning of living in Christ.
Verse 4
O Savior, teach me to abide
Close sheltered at Thy wounded side,
Each hour receiving “grace on grace,”
Until I see Thee face to face.
Amen. What a pure and devoted love, drawing all its daily experience from the Lord Himself. This poem is worth memorizing; it will walk with you throughout the day. The tune is gentle yet soaring, bringing you into a delight that is at once unconcerned with self and restful before the face of Jesus our Savior.
…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,… (Hebrews 12:1b-2a ESV)
What about you? Have you sung this hymn before? When have you found Christ as a hidden and fresh spring? Do you have any trouble with the tune?
“It’s as if he were at work and busy in the obligations of the day, then out of nowhere, almost out of the corner of his eye, the presence of the Lord begins to call his heart, wooing him out of the mundane, and he finds himself caught up in the simple sweet bliss of knowing such a Savior” This is such a relatable experience as well as one that has saved me from a day without the Lord so many times, especially when I feel like I’m busy. Whether I’m actually busy or not, the Lord will sometimes remind… Read more »
The tune of this song really matches the brightness of realizing that all that Jesus is and has are ours! I feel so joyful whenever I sing this song, even by myself or during a hard time.