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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.

I cannot tell why He, whom angels worship

Preaching of the Gospel Myriads Won

English934
1
I cannot tell why He, whom angels worship,
Should set His love upon the sons of men,
Or why, as Shepherd, He should seek the wand’rers,
To bring them back, they know not how or when.
But this I know, that He was born of Mary,
When Bethl’hem’s manger was His only home,
And that He lived at Nazareth and labored,
And so the Savior, Savior of the world, is come.
2
I cannot tell how silently He suffered,
As with His peace He graced this place of tears,
Or how His heart upon the Cross was broken,
The crown of pain to three and thirty years.
But this I know, He heals the broken-hearted,
And stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,
And lifts the burden from the heavy laden,
For yet the Savior, Savior of the world, is here.
3
I cannot tell how He will win the nations,
How He will claim His earthly heritage,
How satisfy the needs and aspirations
Of east and west, of sinner and of sage.
But this I know, all flesh shall see His glory,
And He shall reap the harvest He has sown,
And some glad day His sun shall shine in splendor
When He the Savior, Savior of the world, is known.
4
I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,
When, at His bidding, every storm is stilled,
Or who can say how great the jubilation
When all the hearts of men with love are filled.
But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,
And myriad, myriad human voices sing,
And earth to heaven, and heaven to earth, will answer:
At last the Savior, Savior of the world, is King.

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Katie

Taunton, Massachusetts, United States

Jan 28, 2020

This is very helpful because I am doing a solo with this song with the piano and I love the accompaniment with the piano for practice so whoever made this thank you.

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Ian Pearson

East Hull, East Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Dec 9, 2019

We sang this wonderful hymn on Sunday and it was great to sing to. Very moving. I am going ask if we can sing it again on Wednesday at our service. If not I’ll sing it on my own!

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Donna Boaldin

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Dec 20, 2018

I have yet to sing this song and not cry. Absolutely love the message/story it tells. Praise be to the ONE who was and is and is to come! The Lord Almighty.

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Matthew Lovell

Stowmarket, Suffolk, United Kingdom

May 21, 2018

This really is a lovely hymn & truly exalts the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorious Person.

Sung to the tune 'Londonderry Air' it is a very moving hymn indeed & I personally cannot sing this hymn without being choked up with emotion at the lovely words in this hymn!

A shame this hymn is not in the hymn book we use at our church but it is in the Christian Hymn Book & in other hymn books I am sure.

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Leigh Powell

United Kingdom

Apr 17, 2018

This hymn, sung to the same tune as 'o Danny boy', alludes to the gospel in part.

The gospel says all people are sinners who need to be saved from the guilt and punishment of their sin by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we beieve that the Lord Jesus Christ took away our sin on the cross, and that He rose again from the dead, then we shal, be born again and be given everlasting life (Romans chapter 1, 1 Corinthians chapter 15, John 3 verses 3 and 16). And all because of God's love for us guilty sinners.

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Lois

Bognor Regis, West Sussex, United Kingdom

Oct 23, 2017

This wonderful hymn was a favourite of my wonderful mum, and I have memories of her singing it whilst getting on with jobs at home. Like Fredirick, I also cannot get through the hymn and get choked on the amazing words. Even more so now I have sung it, or tried to, at her funeral earlier this month. It will always be 'mum' and sums up her deep faith.

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Dorothy

Aug 16, 2017

I thought of the hymn and within minutes the instrumental music came on the radio. I could not find it in my hymn book to sing along. So I went online and found this. Thank God.

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Susan Davis

East Petersburg, PA, United States

Mar 11, 2017

Delightful worship hymn. Exalts our great King Jesus!

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Daniel

Schötz, Shötz, Luzerb

Feb 14, 2017

I just sat here on my own (my wife is working tonight), singing some worship songs to Jesus my Saviour, when the lines of this hymn dropped into my mind. So I looked up the words in my computer to be able to sing it with the correct text. And it's just amazing, how God moved into my living room when I proclaimed that He is "Saviour, Saviour of the world". Thank you Robert Fullerton, and thank You Jesus my Saviour for these wonderful words that took me right into the presence of the Almighty God!

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Ian Forsyth

Wallaroo, South Australia, Australia

Oct 10, 2016

This hymn has been a family favourite over 2-3 generations. I also struggle to sing it in entirety due to the tremendous emotions which are stirred whilst singing.

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