By Hymn Stories

      Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915

      "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this." (Psalm 107:1, 2)

      "All my theology is reduced to this narrow compass--Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners." --Archibald Alexander

      The word redeemed implies the idea of a slave standing on the trader's auction block being offered to the highest bidder. At last the price is paid by a compassionate new owner, who then gives the slave his unconditional freedom. But the freed slave, out of gratitude to his new owner, offers himself as a loving bond servant for life to his redeemer.

      Man has been separated from God by sin and has become a slave of Satan. But man has been redeemed. Because Christ paid the ransom we owed to divine justice, we have been freed from the shackles of sin's bondage and God's eternal wrath. Out of gratitude for this deliverance, we cling to our new master and lovingly determine to serve Him forever. A realization of redemption causes the ransomed to sing repeatedly, "Redeemed--, how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb...."

      This popular gospel song by Fanny Crosby first appeared with William Kirkpatrick's jubilant tune in the hymnal Songs of Redeeming Love, published in 1882. It is another of the more than 8,000 hymns by the blind American poetess, Fanny Jane Crosby, the most important writer of gospel hymn texts in American history.

      "Redeemed--how I love to proclaim it! Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; redeemed thru. His infinite mercy--His child, and forever, I am.

      "Redeemed and so happy in Jesus; no language my rapture can tell; I know that the light of His presence with me doth continually dwell.

      "I think of my blessed Redeemer. I think of Him all the day long; I sing for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song.

      "I know I shall see in His beauty the King in whose law I delight, who lovingly guardeth my footsteps and giveth me songs in the night.

      "Chorus: Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb; redeemed, redeemed, His child, and forever, I am."

      For Today: Romans 3:24-26, Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:12-14; 1 Peter 1:18,19

      One of the strongest evidences for the validity of the gospel is a redeemed, vibrant life. Determine with the Holy Spirit's help to be such a demonstration.