This is hymn 44 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
HYMN 44: DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS
1. Deeper, Deeper In The Love Of Jesus
Daily Let Me Go;
Higher, Higher In The School Of Wisdom,
More Of Grace To Know.
Refrain:
Oh, Deeper Yet, I Pray,
And Higher Ev’ry Day,
And Wiser, Blessed, Lord,
In Thy Precious, Holy Word.
2. Deeper, Deeper! Blessed Holy Spirit,
Take Me Deeper Still,
Till My Life Is Wholly Lost In Jesus,
And His Perfect Will. [Refrain]
3. Deeper, Deeper! Tho’ It Cost Hard Trials,
Deeper Let Me Go!
Rooted In The Holy Love Of Jesus,
Let Me Fruitful Grow. [Refrain]
4. Deeper, Higher, Ev’ry Day In Jesus,
Till All Conflict Past,
Finds Me Conqu’ror, And In His Own Image
Perfected At Last. [Refrain]
DEEPER, DEEPER IN THE LOVE OF JESUS HYMN COMMENTARY
Beloved in Christ, the spiritual life is not static; it is a dynamic journey of continual growth and increasing intimacy. This stirring hymn, “Deeper, Deeper In The Love Of Jesus,” is the prayer of a heart that refuses to be content with shallow faith or stagnant knowledge. It is a cry for progression—to move daily further into the depths of love, the heights of wisdom, and the practical fruitfulness that comes from being rooted in Christ.
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to express our holy discontent with spiritual complacency and to pray for continual growth in grace. It is a hymn of aspiration, surrender, and endurance, acknowledging that the path to deeper life in Jesus requires daily pursuit, the Spirit’s work, and often, the refining of trials.
1. It is a Hymn of Daily Pursuit and Dual Growth (Verse 1)
The hymn opens with a clear, active desire for progression. The direction is inward and upward: “Deeper… in the love of Jesus” and “Higher… in the school of wisdom.” This is not a one-time request but a “daily” commitment to press forward. We seek both the experiential intimacy of love and the intellectual and practical knowledge (“more of grace to know”) that comes from being taught in God’s school. The Christian life is both a heart’s romance and a disciplined education.
2. It is a Hymn of Spirit-Led Surrender (Verse 2)
The agent of this deepening is the “Blessed Holy Spirit.” We cannot drill down into divine love by our own effort. We must pray for Him to “Take me deeper still.” The ultimate goal of this deepening is profound surrender: “Till my life is wholly lost in Jesus, and His perfect will.” To be “lost” in Jesus is to find our true identity, purpose, and freedom. It is the dissolution of our self-will into the joyful obedience of aligning with His perfect purpose.
3. It is a Hymn of Costly Growth and Fruitful Living (Verse 3)
This verse introduces a sobering but vital truth: growth often comes through difficulty. “Tho’ it cost hard trials, deeper let me go!” The deepening process may involve pruning, testing, and challenges that root us more firmly. Yet, the purpose is not pain, but productivity: being “Rooted in the holy love of Jesus” so that we may “fruitful grow.” Trials drive our roots deeper into His love, which in turn produces the lasting fruit of the Spirit (John 15:5, Galatians 5:22-23).
4. It is a Hymn of Ultimate Victory and Glorious Completion (Verse 4)
The hymn lifts our eyes to the finish line. The daily pursuit—“Deeper, higher, ev’ry day in Jesus”—has an end: when “all conflict past.” The one who has been deepened and refined will be found a “conqu’ror” through Christ. The final, glorious goal is our conformity: to be perfected “in His own image at last” (Romans 8:29). Our daily prayer for depth is, in fact, a prayer for our eventual Christ-likeness in glory.
The Refrain: The Persistent Prayer
The refrain is the heartbeat of the hymn—a repeated, yearning cry for “deeper yet” and “higher ev’ry day.” It emphasizes that this wisdom and blessing are found specifically “in Thy precious, holy Word.” The Bible is the medium through which the Spirit deepens our love and heightens our understanding.
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Are you spiritually comfortable? Has your faith settled onto a plateau? This hymn is a trumpet call to go further.
Do not be afraid to pray, “Deeper, deeper.” Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you beyond your current experience of Christ’s love. Embrace the lessons in His school of wisdom, even when the curriculum is challenging. Understand that trials are not signs of His absence, but tools for your deepening. Let every circumstance drive you deeper into His love and higher into His truth.
Make this refrain your daily prayer. Open His precious Word and ask Him to root you, teach you, and shape you. For the journey deeper into His love is the path to becoming like Him, and there is no higher calling.
Deeper yet, I pray, and higher every day.
In the name of Jesus, whose love is an endless ocean and whose wisdom is an infinite height, Amen.
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