#750 - Jesus Loves Me
- Composer:
- William Gardiner (1770-1853), 1812
- Also known as:
- Belmont
- O For a Heart to Praise My God
- The Lord's My Shepherd, I'll Not Want
- Incipit: 53217761555433211753
- Condensed Incipit: 532176154321753
- See also:
#63 - Belmont and #750 - Jesus Loves Me are the same melody, although the accompaniment differs significantly.
Belmont and Jesus Loves Me were listed consecutively on the same page in a standard reference hymnbook of the era1), with a score shown for Belmont but only words for Jesus Loves Me. Since no version of Jesus Loves Me is known to be associated with the Belmont tune, and since Belmont had already been offered on cob #63, it is likely that the wrong melody was pinned for this title. If so, it is unknown whether the mistake was ever corrected.
The traditional tune to Jesus Loves Me was written by William Batchelder Bradbury (1816-1868), 1862.
1)
Gospel Hymns Consolidated, Embracing Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4, Without Duplicates, for use in gospel meetings and other religious services — 1883, Biglow & Main, and John Church & Co., page 383, Nos. 412 and 413
