I Love to Tell the Story

Lift up Your Hearts has brought me another wonderful song to share with you.  I love to tell the story can be an upbeat song or a quiet melody of praise remembering the truths we know. 

Lyrics

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

Refrain

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;
And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

Refrain

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

Refrain

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

Refrain

History and Author

Did you know the words from this song come from an old poem called The Story Told?  That poem has some 42 verses, and I love to tell the story has only four so a lot was left out! 🙂   Katherine Hankey is the author.  This particular song comes from the second part of her poem, another song “Tell me the Old, Old Story” comes from the first part of her poem. 

Ms. Hankey was born in London, England in 1834.  Her dad was a wealthy banker.  Part of the “Clapham Sect” along with her father, Katherine wrote her poem during a lengthy illness. The first part is titled, The Story Wanted and was written in January, 1866. The second part, The Story Told, was written in the following November.

The Clapham Sect was a group of wealthy Christians who pushed for the abolition of slavery and promoted foreign and domestic mission work. 

Digging Deeper

Whenever I sing this song I do so with gutso.  I love the melody and the words are easy to remember.  In more serious moments it does cause me to question if I really do.  Do I love to tell the story of Christ, his love for me, and that message of salvation?  Too often I fear I don’t.  It’s just too easy to keep to my own way.   It’s a good reminder to actually push myself a bit.