Jesus Loves Me
Text by Anna Bartlett Warner (1860). Music by William B. Bradbury (1862). Public domain in all jurisdictions.
Verse 1
GJe-sus loves me, Cthis I Gknow, for the DBi-ble tells me Gso
GLit-tle ones to CHim be-Glong; they are Dweak but He is Gstrong
Chorus
GYes, Je-sus loves Cme! Yes, GJe-sus loves me!
GYes, Je-sus loves Dme! The GBi-ble tells me Dso
Verse 2
GJe-sus loves me, CHe who Gdied, heav'n's gate to Do-pen Gwide
GHe will wash a-Cway my Gsin, let His lit-tle Dchild come Gin
Verse 3
GJe-sus loves me, CHe will Gstay close be-side me Dall the Gway
GThou hast bled and Cdied for Gme; I will hence-forth Dlive for GThee
Verse 4
GJe-sus loves me, Cloves me Gstill, though I'm ver-y Dweak and Gill
GFrom His shin-ing Cthrone on Ghigh, comes to watch me Dwhere I Glie
Structure
Playing Tips
🎸 Strum Pattern — Verse
Jesus Loves Me is simple and joyful at 80 BPM. We strum a relaxed four-beat pattern. On the verses, we play softly so the congregation can hear every word clearly. On the chorus, we open up slightly. The G, C, and D chord shapes make this accessible for beginners leading worship for the first time.
🔊 Dynamics — Chorus
The chorus "Yes, Jesus loves me" is the most recognized phrase in the entire hymn catalog. We lead it confidently and joyfully. In our children's services we have everyone stand and sing loudly. In adult worship we keep the dynamic softer and let the simple truth of the text carry its own weight.
🎵 Band Direction
Any instrumentation works for Jesus Loves Me. We have played it with full band, acoustic only, and acappella. In a mixed-age service, the children tend to sing loudly on the chorus which is exactly what we want. Guitar, keys, and a light cajon is the simplest band setup that still feels complete.
🎤 Vocal
Key of G is universal for Jesus Loves Me. The melody is the most familiar in the song catalog and requires no teaching. The chorus phrase "Yes, Jesus loves me" fits naturally in the mid-range of most voices. We have used this hymn as a closing song in difficult services and it always feels right.
→ Transitions
We play verse and chorus pairs without stopping between them. After verse 4, we often repeat the chorus twice and reduce the instrumentation each time. On the final repeat, just voices singing "Yes, Jesus loves me" with no instruments is a powerful and memorable close to any service.