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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.

Olives that have known no pressure

The Way of the Cross Gain by Loss

English626
1
Olives that have known no pressure
No oil can bestow;
If the grapes escape the winepress,
Cheering wine can never flow;
Spikenard only through the crushing,
Fragrance can diffuse.
Shall I then, Lord, shrink from suff’ring
Which Thy love for me would choose?
 
Each blow I suffer
Is true gain to me.
In the place of what Thou takest
Thou dost give Thyself to me.
2
Do my heart-strings need Thy stretching,
Songs divine to prove?
Do I need for sweetest music
Cruel treatment of Thy love?
Lord, I fear no deprivation
If it draws to Thee;
I would yield in full surrender
All Thy heart of love to see.
3
I’m ashamed, my Lord, for seeking
Self to guard alway;
Though Thy love has done its stripping,
Yet I’ve been compelled this way.
Lord, according to Thy pleasure
Fully work on me;
Heeding not my human feelings,
Only do what pleases Thee.
4
If Thy mind and mine should differ,
Still pursue Thy way;
If Thy pleasure means my sorrow,
Still my heart shall answer, “Yea!”
’Tis my deep desire to please Thee,
Though I suffer loss;
E’en though Thy delight and glory
Mean that I endure the cross.
5
Oh, I’ll praise Thee, e’en if weeping
Mingle with my song.
Thine increasing sweetness calls forth
Grateful praises all day long.
Thou hast made Thyself more precious
Than all else to me:
Thou increase and I decrease, Lord—
This is now my only plea.

Copyright Living Stream Ministry. Used by permission.

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Marilu Veale

Long, CA, United States

Sep 5, 2013

Until the last two years of my life I have not fully appreciated this hymn. I avoided it in fact. Then I listened to the words on the Lord of Glory CD and because of my situation, my heart was open and willing to pray with the words because the verses of the song are a prayer.

How the Lord would answer that prayer I do not yet know. I only hope that someday fragrance would diffuse, cheering wine would flow, oil would be bestowed, and the Lord would be pleased that it is so.

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Michael Manzullo

Changshu, Jiangsu, China

Aug 3, 2013

It is not easy to explain in words how this hymn has touched me. I have listened to it more than 50 times, recently. Each time is fresh, living and more than "touching." Yet each time I sense our dear Lord Jesus is searching me deeper and working Himself deeper into me by graciously allowing my to experience the reality of these words, practically. His light infuses us with His light! Just Himself. As I sing the words, both alone and with other dear saints, I feel refreshed, watered, and "lifed." Amen!

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Sis LC

Hamilton, New Zealand

Jul 8, 2012

Amen. What an encouraging hymn for times of hardship. "Each blow I suffer is true gain to me". Our situation is merely the pressure to produce the oil to anoint others. The crushing of ourselves is so that His fragrance can diffuse. The Lord has measured out the amount of sufferings we should take so that His ministry may be produced. We must praise the Lord! And not shrink from this portion. Thank the Lord and praise Him for our situations! Perhaps we praise with tears, but Lord, we want nothing else.

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Boaz Leong

Manila, Philippines

Oct 22, 2009

"Thou hast made Thyself more precious than all else to me: Thou increase and I decrease, Lord - this is now my only plea." Be more precious to me...Do increase!

"In the place of what Thou takest Thou dost give Thyself to me." This line is so wonderful. He takes away but in return He gives us something more precious - Himself.

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Isaiah Tor

Sydney, NSW, Australia

Aug 15, 2008

The writer of this hymn portrays the crucified life in a most subjective way, without a hint of self-pity or introspection. The flavour of its utterance bespeaks the deeply wrought dealings of the cross to a degree that matches the Lord's heart for us to be conformed to His death in every single way. This hymn is not a dirge, but a detailed experiential exposition of the Christian life under the cross to a degree where the tone of the last verse is that of heartfelt praise and even boasting in the hope of fully expressing Christ. To enter into the sentiment of this hymn requires a full departure from and denial of the self, to the extent where our only interest is that Christ would be fully increased in us in every way, for the ministry.

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