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Timothy Hoekman
Timothy Hoekman Music
What Love Is This
A choral meditation on God’s immeasurable love.
SATB (Soprano Solo) and Organ
A choral meditation on God’s immeasurable love.
Composer’s Notes
The text of “What Love Is This” was written by the Colonial American poet Edward Taylor (1642-1729). Taylor was a pastor and physician in Westfield, Massachusetts for many years. His poetry is in the style of the English metaphysical poets, such as John Donne and George Herbert. Taylor’s seventeenth-century spellings and capitalizations have been retained.
The poem used here is entitled “Meditation One,” and comes from a collection called Sacramental Meditations. Taylor called them “Preparatory Meditations before my Approach to the Lord’s Supper.” The anthem is appropriate for a communion service or for general use in Christian worship, as well as for concert use.
– Timothy Hoekman
Text
What Love is this of thine, that Cannot bee
In thine Infinity, O Lord, Confinde,
Unless it in thy very Person see
Infinity and Finity Conjoyn’d?
What! hath thy Godhead, as not satisfi’de,
Marri’de our Manhood, making it its Bride?
Oh, Matchless Love! Filling Heaven to the brim!
O’rerunning it: all running o’re beside
This World! Nay, Overflowing Hell, wherein
For thine Elect, there rose a mighty Tide!
That there our Veans might through thy Person bleed,
To quench those flames, that else would on us feed.
Oh! that thy love might overflow my Heart!
To fire the same with Love: for Love I would.
But Oh! my streight’ned Breast! my Lifeless Sparke!
My Fireless Flame! What Chilly Love, and Cold?
In measure small! In Manner Chilly! See!
Lord, blow the Coal: Thy Love Enflame in mee.
– Edward Taylor
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