這首詩歌（聖徒詩歌 182 首）是 撒母耳法蘭西斯（Samuel T. Francis, 1834-1925） 所作。 1834年11月19日，他出生在倫敦北部。他的父親是一位商人和藝術家。法蘭西斯在孩童時， 很 喜歡 詩詞，甚而編寫了自己手寫的詩輯，而且他 也很 喜歡 音樂，九歲時就參加教會的唱詩班。然而在青少年時，西斯經歷了屬靈的掙扎，他的信心開始搖擺。當他搬到倫敦工作時, 他發現所有的難處是他心的問題。有一夜，他悲傷和寂寞的橫跨倫敦泰晤士橋時 ，聽見了誘惑的耳語，要他跳入橋下自殺，好結束他的痛苦。法蘭西斯並沒有注意那個黑暗的聲音，因為他重新聽見了神保證的話。在那座橋上, 他經歷了在耶穌基督裡信心的把握, 將自己再一次完全信靠他的救主。

法蘭西斯原屬英國教會，後來加入弟兄會。弟兄會是一群虔诚的基督徒，特别重視研究和實踐聖經，關於預言和國度的教訓頗有貢獻。弟兄會特點是從宗派分別出來，強調信徒皆為祭司，鼓勵全體的事奉，所有的成員都為了服務神而自覺自愿地奉獻時間、資源和精力。法蘭西斯在倫敦經商成功後，慷慨地捐獻巨金給教會和慈善事業，也投入事奉的行列。以後有73年，他開始熱衷地寫詩歌和露天講道。 他所寫的詩歌常常刊載在《信心生活》和其他期刊上。在1925 年12月28 日，這位九十二歲基督的僕人被主接走了。

法蘭西斯深信「一個屬靈的教會是一個唱詩歌的教會。」唱詩歌的目的是使會眾認清自己對神的方位，神的救贖大愛，和我們應聖潔服事主。他到處傳講福音，講道前先唱此歌，每當會眾齊聲唱這低沉的小調詩歌時，激起了莊嚴肅穆的氣氛，聖靈敞開了會眾的心門。1873-75年間，慕迪在英國佈道時，他在音樂上助孫基一臂之力。 這首詩歌是寫於1875年。這首詩歌的最常用的曲調是以便以謝（Ebenezer), 是威爾斯的音樂家威廉士(Thomas J.Williams,1869-1944) 在1890年所譜的。

Words: Samuel Trevor Francis, 1875.

Samuel Trevor Francis was born on November 19, 1834 in a village north of London. His father, a merchant and artist, soon moved the family to the city of Hull, midway up the English coast. As a child, Samuel enjoyed poetry and even compiled a little handwritten volume of his own poetry. He also developed a passion for music, joining the church choir at age nine.

As a teenager, however, Samuel struggled spiritually. And when he moved to London for work, he knew things weren't right in his heart. One night, as he thought of suicide while walking a bridge over the Thames, he experienced a spiritual encounter that renewed his faith.

Francis later became a London merchant, but his real passion was hymn writing and open air preaching, which occupied his remaining seventy three years. His hymns were published in The Life of Faith and other papers and periodicals. And he traveled widely, preaching for the Plymouth Brethren. He was known throughout Great Britain and the world as an effective devotional speaker and died on December 28, 1925, at the age of ninety two.

Music: Ebenezer, Thomas J. Wiliams, in Llaw lyfr Moliant, 1890.

A profound, rolling tune, EBENEZER, to which we sing "O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus", was traditionally called "Ton-Y-botel" (tune in a bottle) because of a legend that it was found in a bottle along the Welsh Coast. However, EBENEZER actually came from the second movement of an anthem ("Goleu yn y Glyn" or "Light in the Valley") by Thomas John Williams. EBENEZER was named for the chapel in Rhos, Pontardawe which Williams attended at the time he composed the tune. The word is Hebrew for "Stone of Help". It first appeared as a hymn tune in 1890 in a Welsh hymnal entitled Llawlyfn Moliant.

Hymn Story

Few hymns paint such a vivid picture of God's love as this one by Samuel Trevor Francis. It helps visualize the immensity of Christ's love: overwhelming and free, submerging us in the depths of his tender heart. Even the swelling and receding notes of the melody create an image of God's love, reminding us of the gentle waves on a vast ocean.

Francis experienced that love in an especially compelling way one cold, winter night. At a point in life when his faith had wavered, Francis found himself walking across London's Hungerford Bridge. Mulling over his sadness and loneliness, he heard a whisper tempting him to end his misery and jump into the churning waters below.

Fortunately, Francis didn't heed the dark voice. Instead, he heard God's reassuring words speaking to him in the night. On that bridge, he reaffirmed his faith in Jesus Christ, and put complete trust in him as his Savior.

Echoes of this transformational experience resound throughout Francis's hymn, "O, the Deep, Deep, Love of Jesus," reminding us of the truth found in Romans 8:38-39: "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Who can comprehend the love of Jesus? A love that sent him from heaven's glory to earth's dust, and eventually to misery on the cross. When we consider the sacrifices of our Savior, none of us can really grasp the full measure of his love. It simply engulfs us, giving us life and blessings that we never deserved.

Thousands of years ago, the apostle Paul wrote of this love: "How wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (Eph. 3:18). And the beautiful hymn, "O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus" echoes Paul's words. The melody ebbs and flows, reminding us of a boundless ocean, the ocean of God's love.

"Underneath me, all around me." That's how the hymn writer described Jesus' love. And that's how his love affects us all. When we face the darkest trial of our life, God's comfort and encouragement surround us. When life brings happiness, his love is there in every blessing. No matter where we are, God's love always fills us with the greatest gift of all: new life.

Sadly, though, not everyone knows of God's vast love. Some try to quench their thirst in the hopeless promises of the world, but nothing will satisfy like the deep, deep love of Jesus. And so, as we sing of Jesus' love, we must also look for ways to share it. Words we say, quiet acts of kindness, encouraging notes--in countless ways, God's love can flow through us and into a thirsty heart.