My Song Is Love Unknown

“My Song Is Love Unknown” is a deeply moving hymn by Samuel Crossman that reflects on the suffering love of Christ and the tragic rejection He endured. Written in the seventeenth century, the hymn is especially associated with the season of Lent and Holy Week, as it leads worshipers to contemplate the mystery and cost of Christ’s redeeming love. Crossman’s language is simple yet profoundly emotional, allowing the biblical narrative of Christ’s passion to speak with clarity and power.

The hymn draws heavily from Isaiah 53:3-6, portraying Christ as the suffering servant who was despised and rejected, yet bore the sins of many. Crossman does not present Christ’s suffering as accidental or meaningless, but as the deliberate outworking of divine love. The phrase “love unknown” highlights humanity’s failure to recognize and understand the depth of Christ’s sacrifice.

John 1:11-12 is reflected in the hymn’s portrayal of Christ coming to His own and being rejected by them. This rejection intensifies the tragedy of the crucifixion, revealing not only human cruelty but spiritual blindness. Yet even in rejection, Christ’s love remains steadfast, offering salvation to all who receive Him.

The hymn also echoes John 15:13, where Jesus declares that there is no greater love than laying down one’s life for one’s friends. Crossman presents Christ’s death as the ultimate expression of self-giving love, willingly embraced for the sake of sinners.

Romans 5:6-8 further shapes the hymn’s theology by emphasizing that Christ died for humanity while still in sin. The love described is undeserved and unprovoked, flowing entirely from God’s grace. This truth gives the hymn its emotional weight and theological depth.

“My Song Is Love Unknown” remains one of the most powerful hymns on the passion of Christ. It invites believers not only to observe the cross, but to respond in humility, repentance, and grateful love. Through its faithful use of Scripture and its honest portrayal of human sin and divine grace, the hymn continues to draw worshipers into reverent reflection on the heart of the gospel.