This is hymn 25 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
HYMN 25: THE GREAT PHYSICIANS NOW IS NEAR
1. The great Physician now is near,
the sympathizing Jesus;
He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,
oh! hear the voice of Jesus.
Refrain:
Sweetest note in seraph song,
sweetest name on mortal tongue;
sweetest carol ever sung,
Jesus, blessed Jesus.
2. Your many sins are all forgiven,
oh! hear the voice of Jesus;
go on your way in peace to heaven,
and wear a crown with Jesus. [Refrain]
3. All glory to the risen Lamb!
I now believe in Jesus;
I love the blessed Savior’s name,
I love the name of Jesus. [Refrain]
4. His name dispels my guilt and fear,
no other name but Jesus;
oh! how my soul delights to hear
the charming name of Jesus. [Refrain]
THE GREAT PHYSICIANS NOW IS NEAR HYMN COMMENTARY
Beloved in Christ, we often carry burdens that are not visible to the eye—a drooping heart, the weight of guilt, the chill of fear. This tender hymn, “The Great Physician Now Is Near,” directs our weary souls to the one who specializes in healing the deepest maladies of the human spirit. It presents Jesus not as a distant deity, but as the “sympathizing” Healer who draws near, speaks comfort, and dispels our darkest troubles with the sweet sound of His own name.
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to remind ourselves of Christ’s immediate presence and compassionate character in our times of inner sickness. It is a balm for the discouraged soul, a proclamation of pardon for the guilty conscience, and a love song to the name that brings peace. It turns our focus from our internal pain to the nearby Physician.
1. It is a Hymn of Present Comfort and Attentive Care (Verse 1)
The opening line is a declaration of hope: “The great Physician now is near.” He is not far off, making an appointment for a future date; He is present-tense near. This Physician’s primary qualification is His empathy: He is “the sympathizing Jesus” (Hebrews 4:15). He does not merely diagnose; He actively “speaks the drooping heart to cheer.” The remedy begins with hearing His voice—a voice of comfort, truth, and life. The call, “oh! hear the voice of Jesus,” is an invitation to stop listening to the voice of our own despair and to attend to His word of cheer.
2. It is a Hymn of Complete Pardon and Promised Peace (Verse 2)
The Physician’s first treatment addresses the root sickness: sin. He speaks a declarative word of healing: “Your many sins are all forgiven.” This is not a hope, but a settled fact announced by His voice. The result is a transformed journey: we can “go on your way in peace to heaven.” The guilt that paralyzed us is removed, replaced with peace and a future hope—a “crown” to be worn in eternity with Him. The Great Physician heals the fatal wound and secures our eternal wellness.
3. It is a Hymn of Personal Faith and Loving Response (Verse 3)
The soul, having heard and received the Physician’s cure, breaks into worship. The response is threefold: belief (“I now believe in Jesus”), love for His person (“I love the blessed Savior’s name”), and joyful glorification of His victory (“All glory to the risen Lamb!”). Healing leads naturally to adoration. Our faith is not a cold contract, but a relationship of love with the Healer Himself.
4. It is a Hymn of Powerful Deliverance and Soul’s Delight (Verse 4)
This verse testifies to the ongoing power of the Physician’s name in daily life. “His name dispels my guilt and fear.” Like a specific, potent medicine, the name of “Jesus” drives out the twin plagues of a troubled soul. The singer confesses a personal, delightful obsession: “oh! how my soul delights to hear the charming name of Jesus.” The cure has become our comfort, and the Physician’s name our sweetest song.
The Refrain: The Heart’s Sweetest Melody
The refrain is a cascade of superlatives celebrating the sweetness of Jesus. He is the “sweetest note” in angelic song, the “sweetest name” human lips can utter, and the subject of the “sweetest carol ever sung.” When the soul is healed by His grace, His name becomes the most delightful sound in all existence.
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Is your heart drooping under a weight of sorrow, failure, or anxiety? Do you feel the sickness of sin or the fever of fear? The Great Physician is now near. He is not scowling in disapproval; He is sympathizing with your weakness.
Stop and hear His voice in Scripture. Hear Him speak forgiveness over your sins. Hear Him speak peace to your troubled way. Let His charming, powerful name—Jesus—disperse the shadows in your soul.
Then, let your healed heart sing the sweetest carol. Love His name. Glory in the risen Lamb. For the One who healed you with His stripes is near to keep you with His everlasting love.
Turn your ear to the sympathizing Jesus today.
In the healing, charming name of Jesus, Amen.
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