This week I plan to sing with my family the hymn Blessed Be the Name. It is found on page 50 of one of our old Baptist Hymnals. I did some research on The Cyber Hymnal website and learned a few facts about the songs origin.
Blessed Be the Name contains words written by Charles Wesley.The words are similar to those found in the hymn O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing which originated in 1739. Charles lived from 1707 to 1788. He and his brother, John wrote around 6000 hymns in their lifetime and help founded the Methodist movement which has become the Methodist church of today.

Charles Wesley wrote the words to the verses to commemorate the first anniversary of his conversion to Christ. The original poem in which the words were taken from has eighteen stanzas. The stanza that begins “O for a thousand tongues to sing” is verse seven of Wesley’s original poem. This work first appeared in Hymns and Sacred Poems in 1740. (That means part of the lyrics are 266 years old!)
Ralph E. Hudson wrote the chorus for this song in 1887. He lived from 1803 to 1901. Among many other accomplishments, Hudson was a professor of vocal music at Mount Union College. He was best known though as a hymn writer and music publisher. He wrote and published 9 Christian songbooks during the late 1800’s.
The music was written by “Azmon,” Carl Gotthelf Gläser in 1828 and arranged by Lowell Mason in 1839.
The words to the song:
O for a thousand tongues to sing,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
The glories of my God and King,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Jesus, the name that calms my fear,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
He breaks the pow’r of canceled sin,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
His blood can make the foulest clean,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
I never shall forget that day,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
When Jesus washed my sins away,
Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Chorus
Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord! (2x)