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About Numbered Notation

Numbered Notation (also called Jianpu, 简谱) writes each melody note as a number from 1 to 7 instead of a note on a staff. The number shows the note's position in the song's scale -- not its exact pitch -- so the same tune looks identical no matter what key it's sung in.

Within one octave, the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 correspond to the familiar do re mi fa sol la ti. A dot above a number raises it an octave higher; a dot below lowers it an octave lower -- no dot means the middle, as-written octave.

A plain number lasts one beat. A dash (-) right after a number holds that same note for one more beat. A line underneath a number shortens it instead -- one line is half a beat, two lines a quarter of a beat. A 0 is a rest: silence for one beat.

The label at the top of the sheet, like "1=C" or "1=Ab", shows which pitch scale degree 1 ("do") is tuned to. A song in a minor key is labeled "6=X" instead -- scale degree 6 ("la") is the true tonic. Chord names printed above the notes (like "C" or "G7") always use their familiar letter names, never numbers.

For example, under a "1=C" heading, the numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 sound as C D E F G A B. Under a "1=G" heading, those very same numbers sound as G A B C D E F# instead -- same shape, different key.

The love of God is greater far

Worship of the Father His Love

English28
1
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell.
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell.
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled
And pardoned from his sin.
 
O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
2
When hoary time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;
When men who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call;
God’s love, so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
3
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
Words & Music © 1923, Ren. 1951 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.

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Antonette Henry

Spanish Town, Jamaica

Jun 29, 2016

It is impossible for us to love each other unless we have truly experienced God's love.

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Letesha Parker

Claremont, NH, United States

Jun 22, 2016

The Love of God covers and sustains all His believers. It is deeper, greater, and richer than we have words for. If you have touched upon the Love of God you will never ever be the same. The Love of God is so sweet tender and true. And never forget the Love of God covers a multitude of sins. As far as the east is from the west is how far our sin has been removed from us.

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Bertha

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

Jun 5, 2016

The love of God is my foundation.

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Joanna Pearl

Lobelville, TN, United States

May 23, 2016

This hymn portrays the love of God so beautifully and truly how vast it is!!! Thank You Jesus!!!

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Lauretta Brydon

Gisborne, New Zealand

May 21, 2016

This is really incredible and so inspiring and up lifting, it could lift the heart and soul of a person in deep distress. Thank you.

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Ntokozo Duma

Port Shepstone, Kzn, South Africa

Apr 29, 2016

oh love of God, how rich and pure, how measureless and strong, it shall forevermore endure, the saints and angel's song. oh my God, what a song, I love it soooooooooooo much

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Jennifer

Kampala, Uganda

Apr 13, 2016

Beautiful song; timeless

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Jolayemi Olaoluwa Daniel

Ebute-Metta, Lagos, Nigeria

Mar 28, 2016

I'll be trusting God to give the next stanza to this poem that expresses God's in an unimaginable way. God bless the writer.

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Neeraj Kumar

London, United Kingdom

Mar 13, 2016

The love of God! So rich and pure. Heard Bill Gaither sing this recently on a YouTube clip and I was hooked. Started looking for the verses and here we are.

Awesome song testifying to an awesome God! Awesome truth!

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Paul Wilkes

Apple Valley, California, United States

Feb 7, 2016

I grew up in Pasadena and went to the same church that "Brother" Lehman attended. (Assembly of God) His daughter was one of my Sunday School teachers. This was in the '30 so Fred was well up in years but he and his wife sang this song as a duet and I shall never forget it. They put so much feeling into it.

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