STUDY / LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE / HYMNS

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds The name of Jesus

John Newton printed it in 1779 in Olney Hymns, Book I, no. 57, under Song of Songs 1:3.

WRITTEN BY

John Newton 1725–1807

PRINTED

1779 Olney Hymns · no. 57

METRE

Common Metre 8.6.8.6 · 7 stanzas

IN HYMNALS

1,799 listed at Hymnary.org

The hymn, and the Scripture in it

All 7 stanzas as Newton printed them, with the verses their lines echo beside them. Point at a line to join it to its verse; click to read the passage.

SHARED WORDSthe verse shares the line's wording ECHOproposed by an AI model, confirmed by a separate check Not the author's own notes

AMONG THE SCRIPTURES

The stanzas at the centre; around them, every book its heading and its echoes come from, Old Testament on the left and New on the right. Choose a stanza or a book.

a line echoes this verse its heading or an echo comes from here

STANZA I

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

In a believer’s ear?

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear.

No line of this stanza quotes a verse closely; it is the hymn's own confession.

Where Newton found it

Newton printed the hymn under Song of Songs 1:3. The line that comes closest to it is marked.

The fragrance of your perfume is pleasing; your name is like perfume poured out. No wonder the maidens adore you. SONG OF SONGS 1:3 · BEREAN STANDARD BIBLE READ SONG OF SONGS 1

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds In a believer’s ear? It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear. STANZA I

Its place in the book

Book I of Olney Hymns walks through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, one hymn per passage: 141 hymns. This is number 57. Point at a tick to see the hymn; click it to open that hymn.

NO. 57 · JOHN NEWTON · THIS HYMN How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

Where hymnals place it

Printed hymnals list, for each hymn, the Bible passages it goes with, so a church can choose a hymn for the day's reading. Gathered from the hymnals Hymnary.org catalogues, editors have tied this hymn to 8 passages in 5 books. One square is one passage; a ringed square is one the hymn's own lines echo. Point at a square to read it; click to open it beside the page.

Psalms 4

Jeremiah 1

Joel 1

James 1

1 John 1

PSALM 116:12–19

12How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me? 13I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD. 14I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people. 15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. … 4 more verses

a passage hymnals tie it to one its lines echo (0)

Rooted in Scripture. Open for discovery.

A place to read slowly, ask deeply, and follow the connections. Scripture, study and the voices of Christian history, brought together for a lifetime of learning.

SPEND TIME IN THE WORD

  • Open the reader
  • Books & reading progress
  • Compare Scripture editions
  • Find a passage

FOLLOW YOUR QUESTIONS

  • Study collections
  • People & places
  • Faith & apologetics
  • Stories of faith

A library with a paper trail.

Meet the authors. Explore the collection. Trace each work to its source.

Download the code.

Open source on GitHub.