Story Behind the Hymn — “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
Joseph Scriven wrote this timeless favorite hymn: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” This hymn is about the unfailing friendship of Jesus. Joseph is someone who had a few close friends.
The story behind the hymn is filled with sufferings.
Joseph experienced the sorrow of grief and loneliness. He had poured out his life in service to others without thought to repayment of any kind. In fact, it was said that Joseph Scriven would only work for those who could not pay. So he really had an unselfish heart.
Joseph Scriven was born on September 10, 1819. He belong to a prosperous Irish family.
Joseph Scriven successfully completed the requirements for entrance to Trinity College in Dublin. But after attending for only a short time, he decided to leave school and join the army.
His military career, however, was cut short because of his poor health. So he returned to Trinity College and finished his Bachelor of Arts Degree.
When he finished his education he had a long and happy life ahead. Joseph Scriven decided to marry his sweetheart. But the night before their wedding, tragedy struck. Scriven’s fiancée was riding on a horse and was thrown into the river, where she was drowned.
Overcome with grief, Scriven lost hope and he with withdrew from his friends and family. He made the decision to leave the religious traditions of his parents and joined another Christian church the Plymouth Brethren.
And he also left his homeland Ireland and migrated to Canada in 1844, at the age of 25.
With the move, Scriven refocused his life to concentrate on living the lifestyle described by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount.
He became a servant of the underprivileged, assisting the handicapped, the poverty-stricken, the ill, and the imprisoned.
He cut and hauled wood for destitute families so that they would survive the frigid winters of Port Hope, Ontario.
Although he was respected by the townspeople for his deeds of mercy, he was viewed as an eccentric and was not integrated into their fellowship.
Anyway, Scriven met and fell in love with a young Canadian woman and again planned to marry. But before the wedding took place, once more tragedy struck. The young woman was contracted with pneumonia and died.
At the same time, Scriven received news that his mother, back in Dublin, was seriously ill. He did not have the money to finance his trip to go home to see his mom. So he wrote the 3 verses of a poem he titled: “Pray Without Ceasing”, and sent to his mother hoping it would lift her spirits and comfort her.
Sometime later, when Scriven himself was confined to his bed with illness, a neighbor stopped in to see him.
As they talked, the friend saw a paper at the side of the bed with the words of Scriven’s poem written on it.
After reading the poem, the man inquired if Scriven had written it. Scriven replied, “The Lord and I did it between us.”
Securing Scriven’s permission, the neighbor made it published in a small collection of poetry called “Hymns and Other Verses.”
Sometime later, Charles Converse, a well-known composer of that day, wrote a melody for the verses that Scriven had written. The hymn was then retitled to “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.”
On a cold morning in October 1886, the body of Joseph Scriven was found in Rice Lake, Bawdly Ontario. He departed from his lonely life and died.
And in his memory the citizens of Port Hope, Ontario, erected a simple monument. On the monument, they inscribed the words of Scriven’s hymn. The last line on the memorial reflects the author’s final hope:
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee.
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Quick Thought
Joseph Scriven went through so much pain. Whenever we are feeling alone, feeling devastated or facing any hardship or difficulties in life, we should always remember that we have a friend, Jesus, who never leaves us and abandon us.
Kaleb Brasee Music Video: Piano Instrumental Hymn
What a Friend We Have in Jesus: Lyrics
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Ev’rything to God in prayer!Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev’ry weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee;
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Source: Hymns of Faith and Inspiration, p. 124 – 127
