This song is one that the editors of Praise to God got from All Together Again. It is part of the 1970s story of evangelicals teaching Catholics to sing. I have vague recollections of this song from my Presbyterian upbringing, or I could be hallucinating.
Written by New Zealand songwriter Naida Hearn, it is a lovely, flowing prayer. My copy in Scripture in Song Book 2 is just one verse and since they hold the copyright, I suspect that is all there was – just a lovely half chanted chorus. I have found lots of different extra verses added in various fora and here, too, there is a verse two and three added without attribution.
Since compared to Scripture in Song, PTG has a different arrangement with a lowered the key and simplified the chords, I wonder if Nicolas Falzun himself was responsible for the extra verses, while he was rearranging.
Hymnary notes it’s presence in an awful lot of Hymn books and also mentions that the royalties from this hymn helped her get away from an unhappy marriage – I’m glad.
BIAB hates 6/8 unless it’s a jig, but I persevered and didn’t convert it to a waltz. I have written the text as in PTG, but stick an asterix over verse 2 and 3.
Jesus, Name above all names,
Beautiful Saviour, glorious Lord
Emmanuel, God is with us,
Blessed Redeemer, living Word.Jesus, equal to God in love,
Made himself nothing, servant of all God’s people:
Human like us, He became humbler,
Even to dying, death on a cross.Jesus, God raised him up,
Gave him the highest name, made him the Lord all over
The heavens and earth, and all the universe.
To God be the glory, most loving Father.