Cover My Defenseless Head

Charles Wesley wrote a beautiful song that we used to sing all the time. Here are the words:

Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high;
Hide me, O my Savior, hide,
Till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide,
O receive my soul at last.

Other refuge have I none,
Hangs my helpless soul on Thee;
Leave, O leave me not alone,
Still support and comfort me;
All my trust on Thee is stayed;
All my help from Thee I bring;
Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.

Plenteous grace with Thee is found,
Grace to cover all my sin;
Let the healing streams abound,
Make and keep me pure within;
Thou of life the fountain art;
Freely let me take of Thee;
Spring Thou up within my heart,
Rise to all eternity.

I remember Jim Woodroof telling a story about this song and the Civil War. I found it on a website about Charles Wesley. Let me just directly quote it here:

"In a company of old soldiers, from the Union and Confederate armies, a former Confederate was telling how he had been detailed one night to shoot a certain exposed sentry of the opposing army. He had crept near and was about to fire with deadly aim when the sentry bgegan to sing, 'Jesus, Lover of my soul' He came to the words,

'Cover my defenseless head
With the shadow of Thy wing.'

The hidden Confederate lowered his gun and stole away. 'I can't kill that man,' said he, 'though he were ten times my enemy.'

In the company was an old Union soldier who asked quickly,

'Was that in the Atlanta campaign of '64?'

'Yes.'

'Then I was the Union sentry!'

And he went on to tell how, on that night, knowing the danger of his post, he had been greatly depressed, and, to keep up his courage, had begun to hum that hymn. By the time he had finihsed, he was entirely calm and fearless. Through the song God had spoke to two souls."

Great story. Have a great day. JW