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Blessed Assurance

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"Blessed Assurance"
Hymn
Photograph of Fanny Crosby
Textby Fanny Crosby
Meter9.10.9.9 with refrain
Melody"Assurance" by Phoebe Knapp
Published1873 (1873)

"Blessed Assurance" is a well-known Christian hymn. The lyrics were written in 1873 by blind hymn writer Fanny Crosby to the music written in 1873 by Phoebe Knapp.

History

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Crosby was visiting her friend Phoebe Knapp as the Knapp home was having a large pipe organ installed. The organ was incomplete, so Mrs. Knapp, using the piano, played a new melody she had just composed. When Knapp asked Crosby, "What do you think the tune says?", Crosby replied, "Blessed assurance; Jesus is mine."[1]

The hymn appeared in the July 1873 issue of Palmer's Guide to Holiness and Revival Miscellany, a magazine printed by Dr. and Mrs. W. C. Palmer of 14 Bible House, New York City. It appeared on page 36 (the last page) with complete text and piano score, and indicated it had been copyrighted by Crosby that year. It is not certain that this was the first printing of the hymn, but it certainly helped to popularize what became one of the most beloved hymns of all time.

The popular song reflects Crosby's walk of faith, as expressed by the apostle Paul in Philippians 

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (ESV).

Because of Crosby's lyrics, the tune is now called "Blessed Assurance".

Phoebe Palmer Knapp

Music

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\relative d' { \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"flute" \key d \major \time 9/8 \partial 8*3 fis8 e d a'4. a g8 a b a2. a8 fis a d4. cis4 cis8 b a gis a2. \bar "" \break fis8 e d a'4. a g8 a b a2. d,8 e fis g4. e d8 e cis d2. \bar "" \break a'8 a a d4. a b8 b b a2. a8 a a b4. d cis8 cis b cis2. \bar "" \break cis8 d e d4. a b8 a b a2. d,8 e fis g4. e d8. e16 cis8 d2. \bar "|." } \addlyrics {\set stanza = #"1. " Bless -- ed as -- sur -- ance, Je -- sus is mine! O what a fore -- taste of glo -- ry di -- vine! Heir of sal -- va -- tion, pur -- chase of God, Born of His Spir -- it, washed in His blood. } \addlyrics { \set stanza = #"2. " Per -- fect sub -- mis -- sion, per -- fect de -- light! Vi -- sions of rap -- ture now burst on my sight; An -- gels de -- scend -- ing bring from a -- bove Ech -- oes of mer -- cy, whis -- pers of love. This is my sto -- ry, this is my song, prais -- ing my Sav -- ior all the day long; this is my sto -- ry, this is my song, prais -- ing my Sav -- ior all the day long. } \addlyrics { \set stanza = #"3. " Per -- fect sub -- mis -- sion, all is at rest! I in my Sav -- ior am hap -- py and blessed, Watch -- ing and wait -- ing, look -- ing a -- bove, Filled with His good -- ness, lost in His love. }

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Blumhofer, Edith Waldvogel (12 May 2005). Her Heart Can See: The Life and Hymns of Fanny J. Crosby. Wm. B. Eerdmans. pp. 229–230. ISBN 9780802842534.
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