Deeper and Deeper
Into the heart of Jesus, Deeper and deeper I go,
Seeking to know the reason, Why He should love me so,
Why He should stoop to lift me, Up from the miry clay,
Saving my soul, making me whole, Though I had wandered away.

Into the will of Jesus, Deeper and deeper I go,
Praying for grace to follow, Seeking His way to know;
Bowing in full surrender, Low at His blessèd feet,
Bidding Him take, break me and make, Till I am molded, complete.

Into the cross of Jesus, Deeper and deeper I go,
Following through the garden, Facing the dreaded foe;
Drinking the cup of sorrow, Sobbing with broken heart,
“O Savior, help! Dear Savior, help! Grace for my weakness impart.”

Into the joy of Jesus, Deeper and deeper I go,
Rising, with soul enraptured, Far from the world below.
Joy in the place of sorrow, Peace in the midst of pain,
Jesus will give, Jesus will give; He will uphold and sustain.

Into the love of Jesus, Deeper and deeper I go,
Praising the One Who brought me Out of my sin and woe;
And through eternal ages, Gratefully I shall sing,
“O how He loved! O how He loved! Jesus, my Lord and my King!”
BIBLE REFERENCE:

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. Psalms 40:8

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:10

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. Psalms 119:11,12

Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end. Psalms 119:111-112

Oswald Jeffrey Smith - Lyrics and Composer
1889-1986
Born: November 8, 1889, Odessa, Ontario, Canada.
Died: January 25, 1986.
Buried: Westminster Cemetery, North York (Toronto), Ontario, Canada.
HYMN HISTORY:

This hymn is from the pen of one of the great evangelical preachers and missionary statesmen of our day, Oswald J. Smith. For many years now this name has been associated with the Peoples Church of Toronto, Canada, a church that contributes more than a quarter-of-a-million dollars annually toward the support of over 300 missionaries. Dr. Smith served as the Minister of Missions while his son, Paul, was pastor of the church.

In addition to his preaching and promoting of missionary activities, Oswald Smith has authored a number of books and has composed more than 1200 hymns and religious verses. Several of his other well-known gospel songs includes “God Understands,” “Joy in Serving Jesus,” “The Glory of His Presence,” “The Song of the Soul Set Free,” “The Savior Can Solve Every Problem,” and “Then Jesus Came.”

Oswald Smith gives the following account of the writing of “Deeper and Deeper” in his book, The Story of My Hymns:
“I was traveling secretary of the Pocket Testament League, founded by Mrs. Charles M. Alexander. Arriving in Woodstock, Ontario, one day in the year 1911, I was invited to preach one Sunday morning in the largest Methodist Church in that city.

“As I walked along the street on my way to the church, the melody of this hymn sang itself into my heart and with it the words, ‘Into the heart of Jesus, deeper and deeper I go.’ I can still recall the joy and buoyancy of youth, the bright sunshine overhead, and the thrill with which I looked forward to my service that Sunday morning, as again and again I hummed over the words. I wondered if I could retain the music in my mind until the service was over, I was then just twenty-one years of age.

“After preaching, I returned to my rented room, and the first thing i did was write out the melody as God had given it to me. I had been able to remember it, and it has never changed form that day to this.

‘The verses were much more difficult, I worked on them at Belwood, Ontario, but it was three years later, in the First Presbyterian Church of South Chicago, of which I was pastor, that I completed them. It was then 1914, and I was twenty-four years of age.

“The writing of the hymn afforded me much joy, nor has it ever grown old. I still love it and always will, for it was the child of my youth. It proves conclusively that God can impart His deepest truths to the heart of the young, for I doubt if i have ever written anything more profound since.

‘There are five steps portrayed in ‘Deeper and Deeper’- the heart, the will, the cross, joy and love. What an experience! But it is the note of triumph in the last verse that transports the soul to heights sublime.”
In his book, The Story of My Life , Oswald Smith relates many heart-breaking experiences, especially in the early years of his ministry. Out of such experiences and disappointments flowed many of his deeper life songs. He emphasizes continually the importance of spending time alone with God each day, a time he calls his 'morning watch’:
For half a century now I have walked the floor morning by morning with God. It was when I walked alone with God that I learned the lessons He would teach. I set aside a time and a place to meet Him, and I have never been disappointed.
“Alone, dear Lord, ah, yes! alone with Thee!
My aching heart at rest, my spirit free;
My sorrow gone, my burdens all forgotten,
When far away I soar alone with Thee.

Oswald J. Smith
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. Luke 6:47-49

Oswald Smith writing about the Hymn history of “Deeper and Deeper” wrote that “There are five steps portrayed in ‘Deeper and Deeper’- the heart, the will, the cross, joy and love.” The verse we quoted above in Luke 6:47-48 is about the parable of the wise man who built his house on the rock.

This parable teaches us to hear and obey the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. We must ground our faith on the solid foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11

Jesus Christ is our foundation, and every thing besides Jesus Christ is sand. Many today have a surface type of Christianity that has no depth and when the cares of this world choke their faith they have no foundation so they witherth away.

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. Matthew 13:4-6

Most people today build their lives upon prosperity gospel; others upon an outward profession of religion.

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 1 Corinthians 3:12

Upon materialism and a religion based on works they live and govern their lives; but these are all sand. There is a storm coming that will try every man's work.

Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 1 Corinthians 3:13

If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 1 Corinthians 3:14-15

The house fell in the storm, when the builder had most need of it, and expected that it would be a shelter to him. It fell when it was too late to build another.

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Matthew 25:6-12

May the Lord make us wise builders for eternity. Then nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ Jesus.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
A Hymn and its History is a ministry that depends solely upon the Lord for his guidance.
Please help us to continue to touch lives and bring blessings to many others
24 hours a day all over the world.  If you have been blessed by
this Ministry please give a donation as the Lord lays it upon
your heart, and share in the Blessings.  By investing
in the lives of others you will reap benefits that
will last for all eternity.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________