第30首 妙愛找我In Tenderness He Sought Me

◎撰文／讚美詩源考小組策劃 丁春芳撰稿
◎期數:360期 ◎2007.09號

作詞：W. Spencer Walton, 1894
作曲：Adoniram Judson Gordon, 1836-1895
曲調名：TENDERNESS，76.76.88副

<第一節譜例與中、英文歌詞>
In tenderness He sought me, Weary and sick with sin;
主大慈愛尋找我，前曾沉罪惡間，

高登（Adoniram Judson Gordon, 1826-1895）出生於新罕布什爾州，紐約布朗大學神學博士，是美國浸信會著名的牧師。多年來一直致力於發掘新的聖詩，讓信徒吟唱。

本詩歌是從他於1870年出版的《The London Hymn Book》中所挑選出來的。因他被其中的歌詞所吸引，但對該詩的旋律並不滿意，有一天，腦海中突然浮現出一段詠嘆調的靈感，於是他立即配上本詩的歌詞，因而成就了這首〈妙愛找我〉，並於1876年出版。

高登同時也是當時著名的佈道家慕迪（Moody）的同工，協助福音佈道團選詞、教唱與領詩的工作。

原來的英文詩歌有五節歌詞，但在中文讚美詩中，僅有四節歌詞。

本詩是依據《路加福音》十九章10節：「人子來，為要尋找，拯救失喪的人」而寫，這也呼應了《路加福音》在十五章4-6、10節所述：「你們中間誰有一百隻羊失去一隻，不把這九十九隻撇在曠野、去找那失去的羊，直到找著呢？找著了，就歡歡喜喜的扛在肩上，回到家裡，就請朋友鄰舍來，對他們說：『我失去的羊已經找著了，你們和我一同歡喜吧！』我告訴你們，一個罪人悔改，在天上也要這樣為他歡喜。」將人子尋獲迷羊的心情及一個回轉向神的心靈的滿足表露無遺。

註：本詩有二個通用的曲調名 TENDERNESS與O THE LOVE，均為神大慈愛之意。


1 主大慈愛尋找我，前曾沉罪惡間；且顯大力懷抱我，安放羊圈裡面；激動天使歡欣歌唱，頌讚歌聲充滿天上。
2 主看見我受損傷，用油和酒包裹，又以恩言安慰我，並說：「你永屬我」；我未曾聽如此佳音，能叫我心滿足、歡欣。
3 主的兩手有釘痕，寶血為我流出，人用荊棘作冠冕，戲弄加上凌辱；主愛極大，憐我罪人，甘願為我受苦、捨身。
4 我雖在世為客旅，心裡卻無憂慮，忍耐行完主旨意，到主降臨日子；那時接我到祂身邊，與祂同在，聖潔無愆。
副歌：愛何大，尋找我！血何寶，洗淨我！恩何多，領我與神復和！主愛我，我不懼怕風波。

In tenderness He sought me,
Weary and sick with sin;
And on His shoulders brought me
Back to His fold again.
While angels in His presence sang
Until the courts of heaven rang.

He washed the bleeding sin wounds,
And poured in oil and wine;
He whispered to assure me,
"I’ve found thee, thou art Mine";
I never heard a sweeter voice;
It made my aching heart rejoice!

He pointed to the nail prints,
For me His blood was shed,
A mocking crown so thorny
Was placed upon His head;
I wondered what He saw in me,
To suffer such deep agony.

I’m sitting in His presence,
The sunshine of His face,
While with adoring wonder
His blessings I retrace.
It seems as if eternal days
Are far too short to sound His praise.

So while the hours are passing,
All now is perfect rest,
I’m waiting for the morning,
The brightest and the best,
When He will call us to His side,
To be with Him, His spotless bride.

Oh, the love that sought me!
Oh, the blood that bought me!
Oh, the grace that brought me to the fold,
Wondrous grace that brought me to the fold.

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