A Story on the Hymn, “O Happy Day,” by William Petersen

Few church songs have gone through such a variety of renditions as this one. Philip Doddridge would never have recognized the Hawkins’ Youth Choir’s African-American arrangement, which put the song on the charts in the late 1960s.

Doddridge went through a lot of changes himself. His mother was a Lutheran, but both his mother and his father died by the time he was thirteen. Orphaned, he went to live with a Presbyterian minister. Later he studied in an Anglican school but decided instead to become a Congregational minister.

Although he wrote many hymns, Doddridge was reluctant to have any of them published. So “O Happy Day” wasn’t put into print until 1755, four years after his death. The refrain was not added until a hundred years later when an anonymous author added, “Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away,” and set it to a popular tune of the day.

We have a feeling that Doddridge wouldn’t have minded, as long as the theology wasn’t changed. “ ’Tis done: the great transaction’s done; I am my Lord’s, and He is mine.” That’s enough to make all of us sing, “O happy day.”

Scriptures: Psalm 40:16; Isaiah 61:10; Philippians 4:4
Themes: Testimony, Salvation, Joy

Lyrics of the Hymn:
O happy day that fixed my choice on
Thee, my Savior and my God!
Well may this glowing heart rejoice,
and tell its raptures all abroad.

Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed
my sins away!
He taught me how to watch and pray and
live rejoicing every day.
Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed
my sins away! [Chorus]

O happy bond, that seals my vows to
Him who merits all my love!
Let cheerful anthems fill His house,
While to that sacred shrine I move.

’Tis done: the great transaction’s done; I
am my Lord’s, and He is mine;
He drew me and I followed on, charmed to
confess the voice divine.

Now rest, my long-divided heart; fixed
on this blissful center, rest;
Nor ever from my Lord depart, with
Him of ev’ry good possessed.
By PHILIP DODDRIDGE (1702–1751)

Reference for the Hymn:
Petersen, William. The Complete Book of Hymns (pp. 622-623). Tyndale House Publishers. Kindle Edition.