Sermons & Devotionals by Amazing Hymn Stories

How would you like to live in a family with nineteen brothers and sisters? Such was the home of Philip Doddridge. In that home, the mother Mrs. Doddridge was to have a marked influence in the life of Philip, her youngest son. She often would draw him to her knees, as they sat by the fireplace, and t... Read More

George Matheson, engaged to be married, learned he would soon be totally blind. His fiancée said, “I cannot marry a blind man.” She left her with his dreams shattered. He thought of taking his life, but instead took hold of himself as he wrote the moving hymn, “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.” The b... Read More

This hymn, written and published in 1833, has often been called a model hymn for worship. It has few equals in expressive lyrics and in the exaltation of the Almighty. Each of the epithets applied to God (King, Shield, Defender, Ancient of Days, Maker, Redeemer, Friend), as well as the vivid imagery... Read More

Samuel Medley became a midshipman in 1755, during the Seven Years’ War. In 1759 he was severely wounded in a battle with the French off Port Lagos. Medley had been brought up to have a high regard for religion, but in the navy he had become dissipated. As he lay there wounded and expecting that ampu... Read More

George Shuler, formerly a music-faculty member of the Moody Bible Institute, was playing the organ during a service at the famous Moody Church in Chicago. Sometime during the service the speaker prayed aloud, “O Lord, overshadow us.” This thought stuck with young Shuler. After the service, he went t... Read More

The two young men who wrote the song “People Need the Lord,” Greg Nelson and Phil McHugh, give this story— We were trying to write a song one day. We spent most of the morning talking about ideas. We decided, about lunch time, to go to a restaurant near my office in Nashville. After we were seated, ... Read More

Mrs. Lida Shivers Leech’s early writings were often rejected by publishers on the ground that they were either too trite or too hackneyed. But her pastor encouraged her to continue. Once, she sent noted composer Adam Geibel a poem that he soon returned, since it failed to meet his rather rigid requi... Read More

The gifted Christian musician Joseph T. Webster was often tormented by deep feelings of depression. On one occasion, when he was in a melancholy mood, he received a visit from his close acquaintance Fillmore Bennett. Knowing that one way to keep Webster from brooding over his problems was to interes... Read More

One day, according to Pastor Salmon, Mr. Walford recited several poems which he had composed. He could not get anyone to write them down, so Mr. Salmon did so. One poem was the four-stanza rhyme which is now known as “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” ++++++++++ Sweet Hour of Prayer (1) Sweet hour of prayer, s... Read More

During the early years of his ministry, Rev. George Bennard was “praying for a full understanding of the cross and its plan in Christianity.” Consequently, he spent many hours in study, prayer and meditation, until he could say, “I saw the Christ of the cross as if I were seeing John 3:16 leave the ... Read More

George Frederick Handel, the great musician, lost his health; his right side was paralyzed; his money was gone; and his creditors seized and threatened to imprison him. Handel was so disheartened by his tragic experience that he almost despaired for a brief time. But his faith prevailed, and he comp... Read More

Thirty men, red-eyed and disheveled lined up before a judge of the San Francisco police court. It was the regular morning company of Drunks and disorderlies. Some were old and hardened, others hung their heads in shame. Just as the momentary disorder attending the bringing-in of the prisoners quiete... Read More

Shortly after the Civil War in America, a Methodist minister and his wife were blessed with the birth of a son. When the boy became a teenager, he left home to make his way in the world. His fondest dream was to become a concert singer, but he never fulfilled his ambition. He took a job peddling son... Read More

The music for this song was composed by D. B. Towner, the first director of music at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. The inspiration for the hymn’s writing came in 1886 during and occasion when Towner was leading singing for D. L. Moody in Brockton, Massachusetts. In a testimony service, he heard ... Read More

The author and composer of this hymn, Helen H. Lemmel, relates that one day, in 1918, a missionary friend gave her a tract entitled “Focused.” The pamphlet contained these words— “So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a stra... Read More

In January of 1936, the Southern Baptist songwriter B. B. McKinney was leading the music at the Alabama Sunday School Convention which was held that year in the town of Clanton. The featured speaker was the Reverend R. S. Jones, McKinney’s friend of many years, who because of ill health had recently... Read More

Haldor Lillenas was born in Norway. He immigrated to America as a child and lived in South Dakota for two years before settling in Astoria, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Lillenas traveled extensively throughout this country, conducting evangelistic meetings as well as furnishing songs and choir music for man... Read More