One of my favorite new Christmas presents is a CD titled Depths of Mercy, performed by the Soundforth singers and orchestra. And I think my favorite song on is “Here Is Love.” I first heard it several months ago when two young men sang it as a duet at church. I had thought it was a relatively new song, but the author, William Rees, lived from 1803-1883. The music is new, however, by Steve and Vicki Cook, and the words have been changed around a little and a new little part added. You can hear just a little part of it here at SacredAudio.com — an excellent resource, by the way. You can buy individual songs for 99 cents, and this one would be well worth it (and no, I am not paid to say that. 🙂 ) The sample snippet recorded there is from about 3/4 of the way through and not the best part, in my opinion — I love the melody of the main verses. But it would give you some idea of what it sounds like.

I wanted to post the words and have been vacillating between posting the original hymn or the words as they are sung on the CD. I think I’ll post the original as shown on cyberhymnal.org because they have parts of a couple of stanzas not included in this new version but which I think are great, and add the little new extra part at the end.

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Lovingkindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me all Thy love accepting,
Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only
And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory,
Nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,
Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting,
As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless,
Drawing out my heart to Thee.

Oh, how marvelous; oh, how glorious,
Is my Savior’s love for me!
Oh, how marvelous; oh, how glorious,
Is my Savior’s love for me!