This is hymn 13 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
Hymn 13: Jesus loves me! This I know,
1. Jesus loves me! This I know,
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 wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
3. Jesus loves me, loves me still
Tho’ I’m very weak and ill
From His shinning throne on high
He will watch me wwhere I lie.
4. Jesus Loves Me! He Will Stay
Close Beside Me All The Way;
If llove Him when I die.
He will take me home on high.
Jesus loves me! This I know Hymn Commentary
Beloved in Christ, in the great library of hymns, few are as simple, profound, and universally cherished as “Jesus Loves Me.” While often called a children’s hymn, it contains the foundational truth upon which the entire Christian faith is built. It is a hymn that brings the infinite, cosmic reality of God’s love into the personal, intimate space of the trusting heart, offering strength for the weak, cleansing for the sinner, comfort for the suffering, and hope for the dying.
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to return to the first and most important truth of our faith. It quiets our fears, answers our doubts, and anchors our souls in the objective, written promise of God’s love. It is a confession of childlike faith that is mature in its simplicity and unshakeable in its foundation.
1. It is a Hymn of Objective Truth and Personal Assurance (Verse 1)
The opening line is both a shout of victory and a statement of fact: “Jesus loves me! This I know.”How do we know? Not because of a fleeting feeling, but because of a fixed authority: “For the Bible tells me so.” Our assurance rests on the unchanging Word of God. The verse then defines our relationship to this love: we are “little ones” who “belong” to Him. We acknowledge our inherent weakness, but we immediately contrast it with His perfect strength: “They are weak but He is strong.” Our security lies not in our strength, but in His.
2. It is a Hymn of Sacrificial Action and Open Access (Verse 2)
This love is defined by its cost and its purpose. It is the love of the one “who died.” His death had a mission: to open wide “Heaven’s gate” that was closed by sin. The personal application is clear: “He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in.” This is the Gospel in miniature—love enacted on the cross to cleanse and welcome us into God’s family (John 1:12). We come in not as dignitaries, but as welcomed children.
3. It is a Hymn of Unchanging Care in Our Frailty (Verse 3)
True love is proven in steadfastness. This verse assures us that His love is constant even when we are at our weakest and most vulnerable—“Tho’ I’m very weak and ill.” From His transcendent, holy place (“His shining throne on high”), He bends His gaze with tender care to watch over us “where I lie.” There is no depth of human suffering or frailty that places us outside the watchful, loving care of our Savior (Psalm 34:15).
4. It is a Hymn of Constant Companionship and Eternal Hope (Verse 4)
The love of Jesus is not just for the beginning of our journey, but for “all the way.” He promises to stay “close beside me.” This faithful companionship extends through the final frontier of death itself. The childlike faith declares, “If I love Him when I die, He will take me home on high.” Love for Him, sparked by His love for us, is the connecting thread that leads through death into eternal life. His love is the escort from our bedside to our heavenly home.
The Refrain: The Heart’s Repeated Affirmation
The repetitive, joyful refrain—“Yes, Jesus loves me!”—is the soul’s necessary rehearsal. We must tell ourselves this truth again and again. The final anchor, always, is the unchanging testimony: “The Bible tells me so.”
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Do you feel weak, small, or overwhelmed? You are precisely the “little one” to whom He belongs. His strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Are you burdened by sin or feeling far from God? Hear His call to His little child to come in. The gate is open, and the cleansing flood is ready.
Are you suffering, afraid, or facing the shadow of death? Look to the shining throne and know you are watched with love. He is close beside you, all the way home.
Whatever your age or stage, return to this bedrock truth today. Let it be the first thought in the morning and the last at night. Whisper it in prayer. Proclaim it against fear. For this is the truth that saves, sustains, and secures us: Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.
In the name of Jesus, who loves us and gave Himself for us, Amen.
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