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Love Constrained to Obedience
- 08/15/09
- 16
A couple of days ago I stumbled across this old hymn (or poem—you pick) by William Cowper. What a great poem it is. I thought I’d share it with you in case you’ve never read it or, as in my case, have read it in the past but have forgotten all about it. It is called “Love Constrained to Obedience.”
No strength of nature can suffice
To serve the Lord aright:
And what she has she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.
How long beneath the law I lay
In bondage and distress;
I toll’d the precept to obey,
But toil’d without success.
Then, to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do;
Now, if I feel its power within,
I feel I hate it too.
Then all my servile works were done
A righteousness to raise;
Now, freely chosen in the Son,
I freely choose His ways.
“What shall I do,” was then the word,
“That I may worthier grow?”
“What shall I render to the Lord?”
Is my inquiry now.
To see the law by Christ fulfilled
And hear His pardoning voice,
Changes a slave into a child,
And duty into choice.
Incidentally, does anyone know whether you would rightly pronounce “Cowper” as “COW-per” or as “COO-per?” I’ve heard both.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (16)
Its pronounced “cooper”
I’ve heard it pronounced, “cowper”, by an author who wrote about John Newton…they were contemporaries and friends.
The RUF folks have done an updated version of the song, leaving most of the lyrics but changing the message. You can find it at igracemusic.com
I heard Don Carson read a poem by him and he pronounced it “Coo-per”. He knows better than I would.
It’s “Coo-per” ~ according to my knowing music friends.
Check this out:http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/cnm/html/cowper/cowper1.html
If my memory is correct, John Piper says it is pronounced “COOper” (in “The Hidden Smile of God,” great book).
“And hear His pardoning voice”
Even though Cowper knew this he tried to kill himself four times I think. I genuine Christian in word and deed, and yet great anxiety as well.
What a wonderful example for the Church in our day of works-righteousness, and morality-churchianity.
Thanks for sharing this.
I have heard Jesus say to me, “You are forgiven Donald.” Not audibly or anything like that, but through His truth, the Word of God, and because He promised that all who receive Him will be forgiven of all their sins. “I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ ” Acts 26;17-18
Here’s a link to this hymn redone by the Indelible Grace people. They use sections two and four as verses and the last section above as the chorus.
http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Love_Constraining_to_Obedience/8842219
I’m almost 100% sure it’s COO-per. Our pastor pronounces it COW-per, but John Piper has done extensive study on him and says that it’s COO-per, so I’ll go with him. Incidentally, my husband and I are expecting our first child in February and are considering using “Cowper” for a middle name because we love his poems and first bonded over his poem “Joy and Peace in Believing.”
In England, they pronounced it COO-per. I was in Olney for John Newton’s 200th anniversary celebration so I got the chance to hear them talk about him a lot. :)
I guess if the English can get “Wooster” from “Worchestershire,” it is not much of a stretch to get “Cooper” from “Cowper!”
Wow, a blogger in whom there is no guile (openly asking about pronouncing this famous name, rather than hiding yoru ignorance!); way to be a regular guy, Tim!
As you’ve already been told, it is COO-per.
Would this be a good time for me to ask this: is it CHA-llies or Cha-LLIEEEES (!) pdb
I really love the RUF tune and structure. This a song that really stricts to the heart of justification and the drastic change in life style that follows proper understanding and faith. I also ran across the last verse in Iain Murray’s forward to Ligoneer’s John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine and Doxology.
I read some place Cooper, and he was quite a dark soul.Mike
It is Worcestershire and not “Worchestershire”