How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds - John Newton

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 5 January 2008, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. JESUS NAME SEEM SO-MUCH SWEET
EACH TIME BELIEVER TAKE-IN.
COMFORT HIS-rt SORROW, HEAL HIS-rt HURT,
AND SHOO-AWAY HIS-rt FEAR.

2. SPIRIT SUFFER CAN BECOME WHOLE.
TROUBLE OBSESSED CALM-DOWN.
FOOD FROM HEAVEN FOR HUNGRY SOUL
PEOPLE TIRED* CAN REST.

3. SWEET NAME, YOU-lf FOUNDATION FOR ME.
MY SHIELD AND PLACE CAN HIDE.
YOUR-lf GRACE LIKE TREASURY FILLED-UP.
MY SIN PARDON WITHOUT LIMIT.

4. HAPPEN PRAY, YOU-lf WILLING ANSWER
ALL MY SIN YOU-lf SET-ASIDE.
SATAN BLAME ME, YOU-lf IGNORE
YOU-lf BECOME MY SPIRIT GUARD.

5. JESUS, MY SHEPHERD, HUSBAND, BEST-FRIEND,
MY PROPHET, PRIEST, AND KING.
MY LORD, MY LIFE, MY WAY, MY END,
PRAISE LIFT-UP, PLEASE ACCEPT.

6. ME TRY RIGHTEOUS, MY HEART WEAK.
ME TRY ZEALOUS~LOSE-ZEAL "WELL".
HAPPEN ME SEE YOUR-lf SPIRIT BEAUTIFUL,
ABLE PRAISE RIGHT WAY.

7. WHILE LIVE, ME ANNOUNCE YOUR-lf LOVE.
EVERY TIME ME BREATH.
PRAY MUSIC YOUR NAME MAKE
HELP MY DEAD SOUL ARISE.


Notes: SO-MUCH - (2h)[5:], POs ><, FOs away, separate while "so much" is mouthed.

TAKE-IN - (2h)[3], POs ><, FOs away, thumbs point at eye level and move several times > signer while FT wg, not thumbs. The positioning of the hands show that it could be to take it in visually or aurally.

COMFORT - Like COMFORTABLE but signed more slowly.

SORROW - SAD+.

SHOO-AWAY - (2h)[B^], POs down, FOs > thing being shooed away, hands bend at wrist and then straighten to (2h)[B] as if shooing something away.

FEAR - (2h)[5], POs away, FOs up, hands are held far from body and move back to body in a wavy pattern.

WHOLE - (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, are held side by side and the hands descend, supinate, and end with POs up by traveling in a circle.

OBSESSED - [1] touches temple and then changes to an [open 8] and touches the back of [5], PO down, while both move in circles together.

CALM-DOWN - (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, descend slightly, stop and then descend further, then one more time.

FOUNDATION - NDH [S], PO > signer, FO > DS, is held out with arm parallel to the chest and DH [S], PO > signer, strikes hand from below and then strikes elbow from below.

ME - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

SHIELD - [S] is held as if holding shield and FT of [1] traces a circle where the shield would be.

GRACE - [O^] or [S], held high and PO > Heaven, supinates and opens to [5] while being brought towards head. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Grace.

TREASURY - [T], PO > NDS, FO away, circles on palm of NDH [B], PO up, FO away.

FILLED-UP - [B], PO down, FO > NDS, is held close to body, starts rising from below waist and strikes chin in its rising.

SIN - (2h)[X] touch their respective sides of the mouth, descend to neutral space and circle antisymmetrically parallel to the chest. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Sin.

PARDON - Sign EXCUSE, switch dominance and sign EXCUSE again.

SET-ASIDE - (2h)[B], POs > DS, with DH higher, palms are pressed against imaginary wall that is pushed to one side.

SATAN - (2h)[3], wg while moving repeatedly > forehead. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Satan.

GUARD - G-PREVENT.

SHEPHERD - SHEEP SUPERVISE AGENT.

PROPHET - PREDICT AGENT.

PRIEST - (2h)[L], FTs touch the chest just below the neck, separate while still touching and then descend down the sides of the chest.

LIFT-UP - (2h)[B], PO down are held high and swoop down while supinating and then rise up again as if helping something mature and the hands continue up and FTs are directed > Heaven.

RIGHTEOUS - Elbow of DH [S] is placed firmly against the backhand of NDH [B], PO down.

ZEALOUS~LOSE-ZEAL - Hans rubbed together as in ENTHUSIASTIC, and then the DH slips straight down off the NDH.

"WELL" - (2h)[5], PO down, FO away, supinate like the hearing gesture.

ARISE - [V], PO up, FO away, pronates and hops onto the palm of [B], PO up, FO away. For an animated gif of this sign, see Valley Bible Church - ASL dictionary: Resurrection.

Lyrics:

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.

2. It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
'Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

3. Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!

4. By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.

5. Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

6. Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I'll praise Thee as I ought.

7. Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear a musical setting of these lyrics (without words), go to How sweet the name of Jesus sounds.

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