The highest joy that can be known

The highest joy that can be known

Author: Nils Frykman; Translator: Signe L. Bennett
Tune: HIGHEST JOY
Published in 4 hymnals

Printable scores: PDF, MusicXML
Audio files: MIDI

Representative Text

1. The highest joy that can be known
To those who heav’nward wend—
It is the Word of Life to own,
And God to have as friend;
It is the Word of Life to own,
And God to have as friend.

2. The Word doth give me wealth untold,
All good it has in store;
My deepest sorrows lose their hold
To joys forevermore;
My deepest sorrows loose their hold
To joys forevermore.

3. How often when in deep despair
My soul has been restored,
And when the tempter would ensnare
’Twould strength to stand afford;
And when the tempter would ensnare
’Twould strength to stand afford.

4. It tells me of a love divine,
How Jesus’ blood was shed;
Each day this joyous song is mine
As paths of grace I tread;
Each day this joyous song is mine
As paths of grace I tread.

5. When stars above shall shine no more
God’s Word is still my light;
When pleasures of this world are o’er,
My joys shall reach their height;
When pleasures of this world are o’er,
My joys shall reach their height.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #2412

Author: Nils Frykman

Born: October 20, 1842, Sunne, Värmland, Sweden (birth name: Nils Larsson). Died: March 30, 1911, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Buried: Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nils took the name Frykman after the region where he grew up, Fryksdalen. In 1868, he graduated from teachers’ college in Karlstad, and went on to teach in Grums, Norrköping, and Sunne. He preached in the church in Sunne, and around that time began to write hymns. Eventually, his texts were printed in the magazine Sanningsvittnet. However, Frykman’s work was not sanctioned by Sweden’s state church, and almost led to the loss of his job as a teacher. Eventually he did resign his position over a controversy about his children’s baptism by an independent prea… Go to person page >

Translator: Signe L. Bennett

Signe L. Bennett was born on November 22, 1900, probably in Illinois. She was ed­u­cat­ed at the North Park Acad­emy, North Park Coll­ege, and the Moo­dy Bi­ble In­sti­tute. She worked as a ci­vil ser­vant, and was a member of the North Park Co­ve­nant Church in Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois. She died on April 1996. [Source: Erickson, John Irving. Sing It Again! Chicago, Illinois: Covenant Press, 1985.] NN, Hymnary. Source: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/b/e/n/bennett_sl.htm  Go to person page >

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The Cyber Hymnal #2412
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The Cyber Hymnal #2412

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The Covenant Hymnal #533

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