John and Charles Wesley were used of God in a powerful way. Not only in the Christian world, but nations and empires were different because of their lives.
Charles Wesley wrote over 6500 hymns during his lifetime and many of them are still favorites today. Isaac Watts, who himself is probably Charles’ only equal when it comes to hymnwriting spoke highly of the hymn I’m sharing today.
John Wesley shared that Isaac Watts believed that: “…that single poem, Wrestling Jacob, was worth all the verses he himself had written.”
Shortly after Charles died, his brother, John, was preaching in Bolton, England. He tried to teach this hymn, but broke down at the lines, “my company before is gone, and I am left alone with thee.”.
The original story of Jacob wrestling with the Lord is found in Genesis 32. Charles Wesley saw in it a parallel with his own conversion. I encourage you to read Genesis 32 and then notice how Charles weaves his own testimony of salvation in with Jacob’s experience.
The original poem has 14 stanzas, but I’ll include only six here. (Here’s a tune for it that my wife, Carrie wrote a few years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZFjo3wpWPQ)
Come O Thou Traveller Unknown (Wrestling Jacob)
1. Come, O Thou Traveler unknown,
Whom still I hold but cannot see;
My company before is gone,
And I am left alone with Thee;
With Thee all night I mean to stay,
And wrestle till the break of day.
2. I need not tell Thee who I am,
My sin and misery declare;
Thyself hast called me by my name,
Look on Thy hands, and read it there;
But who, I ask Thee, who art Thou?
Tell me Thy name, and tell me now.
3. In vain Thou strugglest to get free;
I never will unloose my hold;
Art Thou the Man that died for me?
The secret of Thy love unfold;
Wrestling, I will not let Thee go,
Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.
4. Yield to me now, for I am weak,
But confident in self-despair;
Speak to my heart, in blessings speak,
Be conquered by my instant prayer;
Speak, or Thou never hence shalt move,
And tell me if Thy name be Love.
5. ’Tis Love! ’tis Love! Thou diedst for me,
I hear Thy whisper in my heart;
The morning breaks, the shadows flee:
Pure, universal Love Thou art;
To me, to all Thy mercies move;
Thy nature and Thy name is Love.
6. Lame as I am, I take the prey;
Hell, earth and sin, with ease o’ercome.
I leap for joy, pursue my way,
And, as a bounding hart, I run,
Through all eternity to prove
Thy nature and Thy name is Love.
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