How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Hymn)

How Deep the Father’s Love for Us is a powerful Christian worship song that reflects on God’s immense love, Christ’s sacrificial atonement, and the personal responsibility of sinners in His suffering. Emphasizing themes of redemption, grace, and the cost of salvation, this hymn invites believers to meditate on the depth of God’s love demonstrated through Jesus’ death on the cross.

VERSE 1
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

VERSE 2
Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.

VERSE 3
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Story Behind the Song

Stuart Townend, a British songwriter and worship leader, penned How Deep the Father’s Love for Us in the mid-1990s. Reflecting on the profound sacrifice of God the Father in offering His only Son, Townend sought to capture the depth of this love and the personal responsibility of humanity in Christ’s crucifixion. He remarked, “I’d been meditating on the cross, and in particular what it cost the Father to give up his beloved Son to a torturous death on a cross.” [1]

The melody for the hymn came to Townend swiftly, almost as if it had always existed. However, he dedicated considerable time to refining the lyrics, aiming to make each line resonate with theological depth and personal reflection. Townend intentionally crafted the song in a hymn-like style, diverging from contemporary worship trends, to focus on the timeless message of the cross. He expressed concern that modern worship could become self-focused, stating, “The danger now is that we are so focused on the experience our worship can become self-seeking and self-serving.” [2]

Since its release, How Deep the Father’s Love for Us has transcended stylistic boundaries, finding a place in both traditional and contemporary worship settings. Its enduring popularity underscores the universal need to reflect on and respond to the sacrificial love demonstrated through Jesus Christ.