This is hymn 63 of the Open Heavens daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
HYMN 63: O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING
1. O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!
2. My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread thro’ all the earth abroad
The honours of your name.
3. Jesus! the name that charms ourfears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
“Tis life and health and peace.
4. He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood availed for me.
5. Hear Him, ye dear, His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ
Ye blind behold your Saviour come;
And leap, ye lame, for joy.
O FOR A THOUSAND TONGUES TO SING HYMN COMMENTARY
Beloved in Christ, this magnificent hymn, born from a heart transformed by God’s grace, begins with a confession of insufficiency. “O For a Thousand Tongues” is an outburst of holy frustration—the frustration of a soul so overwhelmed by the majesty of Christ’s redemption that one human tongue feels utterly inadequate to express it. It is a hymn that marries deep personal gratitude with a global missionary vision, all centered on the powerful name and finished work of Jesus.
Why Sing This Hymn
We sing this hymn to express the boundless nature of Christ’s worth, to pray for empowerment to proclaim Him to the world, and to celebrate the specific, powerful effects of His grace in our lives. It is a hymn of personal testimony that demands to be shared, moving from private wonder to public proclamation.
1. It is a Hymn of Exuberant Insufficiency (Verse 1)
The opening line is not hyperbole, but heartfelt longing. The singer feels the poverty of a single tongue to capture the “glories” of God and the “triumphs of his grace.” The desire for “a thousand tongues” is a poetic way of saying that all creation should join the chorus (Psalm 96:1). Our praise is always a response to His prior action—the triumphs are His, the grace is His. We sing because He has first sung the song of redemption over us.
2. It is a Hymn of Dependent Proclamation (Verse 2)
This longing naturally turns into prayer. We do not merely wish for more tongues; we ask our “gracious Master and… God” to “assist me to proclaim.” We recognize that even our proclamation is empowered by His grace. The goal is not private enjoyment but global declaration: “To spread thro’ all the earth abroad the honours of your name.” True adoration always has an evangelistic impulse. We cannot truly honor His name without desiring all nations to know it.
3. It is a Hymn of the All-Sufficient Name (Verse 3)
The hymn narrows its focus to the core: the name of “Jesus!” This name is presented as the solution to humanity’s deepest needs:
- For the fearful: It “charms our fears.”
- For the sorrowful: It “bids our sorrows cease.”
- For the sinner: It is “music,” offering hope instead of condemnation.
- For the broken: It is “life and health and peace.”
The name is a comprehensive remedy, proving its worth not in theory, but in its transformative power in the human soul.
4. It is a Hymn of Emancipating Power (Verse 4)
Here is the theological heart of the hymn. Grace does not just forgive; it liberates. “He breaks the power of cancelled sin.” At the cross, sin’s penalty was cancelled. In our daily lives, its power is broken by the risen Christ. He “sets the prisoner free.” The verse then proclaims the limitless scope of the blood: it “can make the foulest clean.” No one is beyond its reach. The testimony becomes personal and triumphant: “His blood availed for me.” What is true for all is claimed for one.
5. It is a Hymn of Universal Invitation (Verse 5)
The final verse is a call to all creation to experience this grace. It is directed to the “deaf” to hear, the “dumb” to sing, the “blind” to see, and the “lame” to leap. This is both a physical and spiritual reality, echoing the miracles of Jesus’ ministry and the greater miracle of salvation. The gospel is for every kind of human need and bondage. The proper response to encountering this Savior is uncontainable joy and released praise.
A Word for Your Spirit Today
Does your praise feel routine? Does the wonder of your salvation feel dim? This hymn calls you to remember.
Let the desire for “a thousand tongues” reawaken your awe. Consider the triumphs of grace in your own life—how He charmed your fears, broke sin’s power, and made you clean. Let that memory be the fuel for your one tongue today.
Then, pray the prayer of verse two. Ask your Master to assist you in proclaiming His honors, however He may lead. And look around you at the “deaf” and “lame” in spirit—those bound by fear, sin, and sorrow. Point them to the name that is music, life, health, and peace. For the song that begins with a longing for a thousand tongues must end with inviting the whole world to sing along.
O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise!
In the all-sufficient name of Jesus, Amen.
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