A Hymn Most Wonderful - 'I've Found a Friend, O Such a Friend'

James Grindlay Small was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1817, was a student of Dr Thomas Chambers, and became a minister of the Free Church of Scotland at Bervie, Montrose. I’ve Found A Friend, O Such A Friend is his most famous hymn.

 

I’ve Found A Friend is the poetical expression – and exultant burst – of someone who has found, and is delighting in, the everlasting friendship of Jesus Christ, the glorious Son of God, for themselves.

 

“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts,” sing the seraphim that dwell in the throne-room of heaven of Christ, “The whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isa. 6:3). So glorious, so holy, is He that these sinless beings must cover their faces and feet with their wings in His presence…

 

“I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!” begins James Grindlay Small. Has ever an exclamation point had to do so much work??

 

Then follows a beautiful illustration taken from Hosea 11:4: “He drew me with the cords of love, and thus He bound me to Him”. It is easy to imagine these cords, thrown out by the Lord Jesus over the forlorn, lost, pitiable sinner, as He draws and then ties them to Himself with an irresistible and compassionate power (irresistible grace!). Now, being united to Jesus by these cords, a simple study of the composition of these cords will reveal that they are made up with no less than the everlasting, unbreakable love of God!

 

Now is the Christian tethered tightly to Jesus Christ, bound to Him as securely as the equivalent strength of His love. This binding love is the ardent love of He:

 

·       Who loved you first;

·       Who loved you at your worst;

·       Who died for you;

·       Who gives Himself to you;

·       Who is pleased to make you His friend, and who is not ashamed to call you His brother;[1]

·       Whose love is perfectly good, holy, kind and just; and,

·       Whose love will never end!

 

I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!

 

The great theme of the hymn, more than just of a glorious friendship with Christ, is that this friendship – and the love which permeates it – is emphatically unbreakable and everlasting. The third verse tells us why: because “all power to Him is given”; a power that Jesus uses to “guard [us] on [our] onward course and bring [us] safe to heaven”.

 

Arthur S. Sullivan (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame) composed the familiar tune CONSTANCE specifically to accompany Grindlay Small’s text – and I do not know how, nor know how to explain it, but as the hymn reaches its end it is as though the tune is able to pow home its glorious truth, as one could imagine a preacher might, by thumping upon his lectern as he thunders out great gospel truths!

 

Jesus Christ is a friend of sinners – reason enough for awe and adoration – but to then consider just what a friend Jesus is to those whom He loves and who love Him… what other appropriate response can there be except to join together with James Grindley Small in exultant singing!

 

 

I’ve Found A Friend, O Such A Friend[2]  

 

1.     I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!

   He loved me ere I knew Him;

He drew me with the cords of love,

   And thus He bound me to Him;

And round my heart still closely twine

   Those ties which nought can sever;

For I am His, and He is mine,

   For ever and for ever.

 

2.     I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!

   He bled, He died to save me;

And not alone the gift of life,

   But His own self He gave me.

Nought that I have mine own I’ll call,

   I’ll hold it for the Giver;

My heart, my strength, my life, my all

   Are His, and His for ever.

 

3.     I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend!

   All power to Him is given,

To guard me on my onward course,

   And bring me safe to heaven.

The eternal glories gleam afar,

   To nerve my faint endeavour;

So now to watch! to work! to war!

   And then – to rest for ever.

 

4.     I’ve found a Friend, O such a Friend,

   So kind, and true, and tender!

So wise a Counsellor and Guide,

   So mighty a Defender!

From Him who loves me now so well

   What power my soul can sever?

Shall life or death, or earth or hell?

   No! I am His for ever.

[1] Heb. 2:11.

[2] Text taken from Christian Hymns, No. 601, (Bryntirion: Evangelical Movement of Wales, 1978).

*This post is part of a series, based upon some of my favourite hymns: 'A Hymn Most Wonderful'

Other hymns can be found here: