My Song is Love Unknown, by Samuel Crossman

One of our daughters introduced me to this song:

My Song is Love Unknown

My song is love unknown,
My Savior’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.
O who am I, that for my sake
My Lord should take frail flesh and die?

He came from heaven's* throne
Salvation to bestow;
But men were lost*, and none
The matchless* Christ would know:
But O! my Friend, my Friend indeed,
Who at my need His life did spend.

Sometimes they strew His way,
And His sweet praises sing;
Resounding all the day
Hosannas to their King:
Then “Crucify!” is all their breath,
And for His death they thirst and cry.

They shout* and want to* have
My dear Lord made away;
A murderer they saved,
The Prince of life they slay,
Yet cheerful He to suffering goes,
That He His foes from death* might free.

Here might I stay and sing,
No story so divine;
Never was love, dear King!
Never was grief like Thine.
This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.

The words were written by Samuel Crossman. The Cyber Hymnal page for the song is here. That source says that the words were written in 1664, so the words are public domain, and I have modernized a few of them, as indicated by the asterisks. See the link for the original words, which include two more verses.

I was not familiar with the tune given by the Cyber Hymnal, but the words may also be sung to the tune known as Darwall, or Darwall's 148th. Here's a link to another hymn with that tune. It could also be sung to about 40 other tunes with 6.6.6.6.8.8, or 6.6.6.6.4.4.4.4 meter.

Thanks for reading!