“We love your name, we love your laws, and joyfully embrace your cause.”

“We love your name, we love your laws, and joyfully embrace your cause.”
Hymn: “Come, Holy Spirit, Dove Divine” – Adoniram Judson (1788-1850)
Common Tune: MARYTON

This baptismal hymn was written by the first American missionary to be sent to Burma and stay on the field long enough to establish a faith community. His commission set into motion the great missionary movement from the U.S. to countries around the world. He was passionate about believers’ baptism by immersion (as reflected in this hymn) and oversaw the translation of the Bible into the Burmese language. His is a major name among those for whom missions is their cause.

In THIS hymnline, Judson puts the foundation of his calling into our mouths as we sing; and as we repeat them, we speak our own commitment to embrace the cause of Christ… with joy!

There are lots of different Christian causes out there, and around each one there seems to have formed a following. Some of these have morphed into denominations or sects; some have filled gaps in the church’s ministry; some have given rise to the greatest movements in church history; others have created division and infighting.

The cause of Christ is to know him and to make him known – to reveal Christ by modeling his life-actions, his attitudes, his sacrificial nature… by anticipating his ultimate reign (“Thy kingdom come…”). When we take up that central cause and avoid the peripheral distractions, we come closer to agreeing with these words when we sing them together.

Almost every great cause (Christian and otherwise) has incorporated a song. In fact, any time we stand to sing our faith together, we joyfully support the mission of Christ.

Your mission, if you should choose to accept it: Adore his name. Revere his Word. Gladly embrace his cause.


See all stanzas.

I couldn’t find an good online setting of this hymn, but this one is at least interesting