Hymns of the Faith: O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

I didn’t grow up in a hymn-singing church and only recently discovered hymns of the faith. I have been enthralled with their beautiful melodies and rich biblical truths.

As I learn new hymns, I will post them on the blog with the lyrics, music, and stories. In sharing these hymns, I hope you will discover or rediscover this beautiful heritage of Christianity and that it will inspire your faith in Christ. See the complete series here.

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go was written in 1882 by George Matheson, a Scottish minister in Innellan, Argyll. This hymn is cherished among Christians for its timeless proclamation of God’s unwavering love born from Matheson’s deep sorrow.

Matheson was born in March 1842 in Glasgow, Scotland. He had poor eyesight since childhood, which continued to deteriorate over time. And at the tender age of 17, he learned he would eventually become blind.

Despite this dire prognostic, Matheson enrolled at Glasgow University, where he studied Classics, Logic, and Philosophy. He graduated with honors at 19 and pursued graduate studies for Christian ministry. While pursuing his graduate studies, Matheson developed romantic feelings for a classmate, and they became engaged.

However, upon learning of his impending blindness, she refused to marry a blind man and broke off the engagement.

Despite the heartbreaking experience, Matheson continued his studies and eventually became blind at 20. Matheson’s sisters stood by him when he lost his sight, even going as far as learning Hebrew, Greek, and Latin to help him study. By God’s grace, Matheson’s perseverance, and his sisters’ help, Matheson finished his studies and became an ordained minister.

When Matheson was 40, his sister, who had looked after him, shared the news of her engagement. The great news overjoyed Matheson, but on the eve of the wedding day, he revealed he had endured intense mental anguish. Though he did not go into detail about his anguish, many have speculated his sister’s wedding triggered a painful reminder of his heartache from his broken engagement.

He penned O Love That Will Not Let Me Go from his suffering. Matheson reflected on that hymn and said the following.

“My hymn was composed in the manse of Inellan on the evening of June 6, 1882. I was at that time alone. It was the day of my sister’s marriage, and the rest of my family were staying overnight in Glasgow. Something had happened to me which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. The hymn was the fruit of that suffering. It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the impression of having it dictated to me by some inward voice than of working it out myself. I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and equally sure that it never received at my hands any retouching or correction. I have no natural gift of rhythm. All the other verses I have written are manufactured articles; this came like a dayspring from on high. I have never been able to gain once more the same fervor in verse.”

O Love That Will Not Let Me Go is a beautiful hymn that testifies to God’s steadfast love. It comforts those struggling with grief, suffering, or loneliness, reminding them that God’s presence is unwavering even in dark times.

Matheson never married and passed away at 64 on August 28, 1906. His legacy extends beyond this hymn; he wrote several books of theology and one volume of poetry and received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the University of Edinburg and the University of Aberdeen. Matheson’s life exemplifies resilience in the face of adversity, steadfast trust in God’s love, and bearing fruit despite profound loss.

Fun fact: Matheson’s original line in verse three is, “I climb the rainbow through the rain.” When he submitted his hymn to the Hymn Board of the Church of Scotland, they asked him to replace climb with trace as they felt trace was a more appropriate word.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39