He Is Strong: A 7-Day Journey to Finding Strength Amid Your WeaknessSample

A SONG FOR THE WEAK

“Jesus Loves Me” originated in a story. In 1860, Anna Bartlett Warner penned a poem for the second volume of her sister Susan’s novel, Say and Seal. In the story, Mr. Linden sings “Jesus Loves Me” to comfort a dying child. Faith, another caregiver, looks on while Mr. Linden holds little Johnny in his arms. Here is the original scene:

Faith had nothing to do but to look and listen; to listen to the soft measured steps through the room, to watch the soothing, resting effect of the motion on the sick child, as wrapped in Mr. Linden’s arms he was carried to and fro. She could tell how it wrought from the quieter, unbent muscles—from the words which by degrees Johnny began to speak. But after a while, one of these words was, “Sing.”—Mr. Linden did not stay his walk, but though his tone was almost as low as his footsteps, Faith heard every word.

Jesus loves me—this I know,
For the Bible tells me so:
Little ones to him belong—
They are weak, but he is strong.

Jesus loves me—he who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let his little child come in.

Jesus loves me—loves me still,
Though I’m very weak and ill;
From his shining throne on high
Comes to watch me where I lie.

Jesus loves me,—he will stay
Close beside me all the way.
Then his little child will take
Up to heaven for his dear sake.

There were a few silent turns taken after that, and then Mr. Linden came back to the rocking chair.

There’s my place of comfort. A rocking chair. The simplicity of singing about the love of Jesus to a weak little one. The message a soul, on the brink of death, most needs to hear—one of presence, comfort, and ultimate rest. A song for little Johnny, for my son, and for everyone with the faith of a child who aches for comfort in the midst of their weakness.

While the novel was largely forgotten, Anna’s song was not. In 1862, William Bradbury set it to a tune and published it in a Sunday school hymnal. Shortly after, in 1866, the song we know today was also published in a larger hymnal with the refrain “Yes, Jesus Loves Me,” plus small alterations to help the song make sense out of the context of the original story. “Jesus Loves Me” went on to become one of the most well-known hymns in modern history.

A SONG OF HOPE

Though most people can sing the first verse, it’s time we learned the rest by heart, because from beginning to end, it shares Jesus’s steadfast love and strength in the bleakest circumstances.