For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
2) Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will was away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
3) Jesus loves me! He will stay
Close beside me all the way;
Thou hast bled and died for me,
I will henceforth live for Thee.
Swiss theologian Karl Barth was asked to summarize the essential truth of the Christian faith. He responded, "Jesus loves me, this I know / For the Bible tells me so." Anna Warner (1820-1915) did an excellent job in summarizing the Christian faith in a simple song for children. The original intention of the poem which was written in 1860 was a novel written by her sister, Susan Warner. In the story, the poem is to comfort a dying child. Anna and Susan both lead Sunday school services for West Point Military Academy and began writing when their father died. In doing so, Anna wrote one of the most endearing and enduring hymns.
I'm probably going to make one of the least profound statements of all time ... the things we learn as children are important. They stick with us throughout our entire lives. I'm not saying we don't change as we grow older, but the way we grow is certainly shaped by our childhood, much like a tree is shaped by the soil in which it grows. It's why wonderful songs like these are important. From it a child learns two things: Jesus loves them and the Bible is authoritative. That's two out of the five Solas in one song! Really though, this song just reinforces that Jesus loves His children. What greater feeling is there than to know that you are loved?
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