Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee
141; 315

Text: Attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (ca. 1091–1153);
translated by Edward Caswall (1814–1878)
Music: John B. Dykes (1823–1876)
Tune name: ST. AGNES

This renowned hymn text is not a hymn of doctrine or exhortation. It is simply a meditation upon the name and spirit of Jesus. St. Bernard was a man of intense and emotional faith, and the ecstatic phrases of his hymn help us to center our thoughts on the Savior and give utterance to our praise and gratitude.

St. Bernard’s original Latin poem, written near the beginning of the twelfth century, is a joyous outpouring of feeling. It has sometimes been referred to as the “Rose Hymn” or “Rosy Hymn,” or by its Latin title “Jubilus rhythmicus de nomine Jesu” (“Joyful rhythm on the name of Jesus”). In the original it is 192 lines long; the poem and many excerpts from it have been translated by both Catholic and Protestant writers over the centuries. The translator of the version in our hymnal was Edward Caswall, an Englishman who began as a clergyman in the Church of England but converted later to Roman Catholicism. In his translation, he wrote that it is “sweeter far” to see the face of Jesus and rest in his presence. It is interesting that the original Latin has a more tangible comparison: to see the face of Jesus is “sweeter than honey.”

On many occasions, revelation and guidance have come to prophets and Church leaders as they meditated upon the scriptures or on other serious matters. In April 1993, President Howard W. Hunter, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve, delivered a general conference address titled “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee.” He based his remarks entirely on the text of this beautiful hymn, which he called “a message of hope anchored in the gospel of Christ!” (Ensign, May 1993, 63–65).

Meditation on sacred subjects is perhaps something that happens too seldom among Latter- day Saints. The words of St. Bernard remind us how rich and significant such an experience can be. They are an actualization of the words of Psalm 104:34: “My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.”

The tune, written in 1866, was named after St. Agnes, in Catholic tradition a Christian maiden who lived in ancient Rome and at age thirteen was beheaded for her beliefs by the Emperor Diocletian. John B. Dykes, the composer, also wrote LUX BENIGNA, the tune for “Lead, Kindly Light” (no. 97).