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Charles Wesley in this early hymn celebrates that stage in the process of our salvation which sees Jesus as taking again his rightful place in heaven in what we call the Ascension. He is, however, emphatic that this does not separate us from Jesus or Jesus from us. He continues to bless and to intercede for us. It is therefore appropriate that we should retain (as some hymn books do not) the very personal prayer at the end.

The tune was probably written by Robert Williams, a blind basket-maker: a copy of the tune, there called ‘Bethel’, was in the possession of his family in 1920. It is now called ‘Llanfair’, probably after Llanfair-ynghornwy near Mynydd Ithel in Anglesey, where he lived his whole life. It is written with great economy, repeating the first line three times, but such is its great character that congregations scarcely ever notice this.

from notes by Alan Luff © 2002