Wrestling Jacob: Charles Wesley’s Best Poetic Work

Charles Wesley wrote about 9,000 hymns and poems. Some long. Some short. He covered an impressive array of topics. With so many hymns written a natural question arises.

What is Charles Wesley’s best hymn or poem? It would be easy to claim that this is a matter of preference. We could also simply make a list of the most used hymns over time. But most of his works were modified from their original form when they were published. None of these will give us the truly best work of Charles Wesley. When Charles Wesley died, the Methodists made a point to quote Isaac Watts’ opinion of Wesley’s best poetic work. Watts said directly that Wrestling Jacob was Charles Wesley’s finest work. The Methodist conference Minutes of 1788 records that, “Dr. Watts did not scruple to say, ‘that single poem, Wrestling Jacob, is worth all the verses which I have ever written.'”

That is quite a claim! Isaac Watts is arguably the greatest hymnist of any era. He stated that this one poem by Charles Wesley was worth more than everything Watts himself ever wrote. Let’s take a deeper look at this truly remarkable hymn of Charles Wesley.

Wrestling Jacob

Charles Wesley’s poem Wrestling Jacob was first published in 1742 in Hymns and Sacred Poems. It was included again in the 1780 Methodist hymnal, although not in its full form.

It is common for hymns to be shortened for wider use. Many of Charles’s original works are longer than the more commonly known versions that have been printed in hymnals.

What follows is the full original form. All fourteen stanzas and eighty-four lines have been retained.

Some may be familiar with this hymn but under the name, “Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown.”

In this poetic hymn, Charles takes the narrative from Genesis 32 and gives it an allegorical interpretation. The poem seems to be about Charles and his own conversion. In this poetic and allegorical fashion the meaning likewise applies to the life of the reader(s) or singer(s).

Allegorical interpretation of this sort is not uncommon. It is not intended as a commentary on Scripture. It’s not an exegetical lesson. It’s not primarily intellectual. Instead, it is powerfully emotional.

While the passage in Genesis 32 is not about you, Charles found truth that could be applied to all Christians in their walk with their God. In doing so, he made a powerful hymn that has enduring impact.

Two weeks after Charles Wesley died, his brother John was preaching at Bolton. John intended to use this hymn, Wrestling Jacob, during the service. It was reported that John was unable to complete the reading.

John broke down and wept while reading these lines from the first stanza: “My company before is gone / And I am left with Thee.” Many in the congregation wept as well.

(For more on the death of Charles Wesley, check out this post.)

Setting The Context

The biblical context of Genesis 32 is helpful for understanding the imagery of this poetic hymn. Jacob had fled from his home after deceiving his brother Esau and his father Isaac. His brother had vowed to kill him.

Jacob had been away from home for a long time. Twenty years he had served his relative. He now had wives, children, servants, and many possessions.

It was time to go home. As Jacob was returning home with all of his family and belongings, news came to him that his brother was coming out to meet him. And his brother wasn’t alone. Esau was coming with four hundred men.

At this point in the narrative, the tension is heavy. It seems that Esau is coming in force to kill his brother, Jacob.

Jacob attempts to protect his own. He divides all of his people into two companies. He sent gifts ahead of him to Esau to attempt to make peace.

When night came, Jacob was left all alone.

It is alone and in the darkness of night that Jacob meets a man whom he wrestles until daybreak. With the tension that has been building, it seems that this may be Esau. Jacob wrestles as if his life depends on it.

Traveler Unknown

1. Come, O Thou Traveler unknown,

Whom still I hold, but cannot see,

My company before is gone,

And I am left with Thee;

With Thee all night I mean to stay,

And wrestle till the break of day.

Charles Wesley, “Wrestling Jacob”

The identity of the man, the Traveler, is unknown. It is night. He cannot be seen. Remember, this would be in the middle of the desert. There were no city lights on the horizon.

This was a darkness that could be felt.

All alone, Jacob is left to wrestle. He intends to survive through the night. To wrestle with all his might until the light of day.

This isn’t a playful struggle. It’s not a casual wrestling match. Based on the context, Jacob is wrestling with all his might because he thinks that the one he is wrestling with intends to do him physical harm. Even to kill him.

Tell Me Thy Name

2. I need not tell Thee who I am,

My misery or sin declare,

Thyself hast call’d me by my name,

Look on Thy hands, and read it there;

But who, I ask Thee, who are Thou?

Tell me Thy name, and tell me now.

Ibid.

In Genesis 32, it becomes evident that Jacob is not wrestling with Esau. He is wrestling with God.

Charles uses this imagery to now be applied to the individual Christian. As the individual wrestles with God, we must do so alone. And we must do so with all our strength. As if our own lives depend on it.

As one wrestles with their all-knowing Creator, they do not need to declare their identity to God. He knows. They don’t even need to declare their misery or confess that they are sinners. God is already aware.

This One with whom we wrestle already is acquainted with us completely. He knows our state. He knows our name. In fact, your name is written on His hands.

We are the ones who are in the dark. Not God. We do not need to declare ourselves to the Almighty. But in humility we ask Him to declare His name to us.

I Will Not Let Thee Go

3. In vain Thou strugglest to get free,

I never will unloose my hold;

Art thou the Man that died for me?

The secret of Thy love unfold;

Wrestling I will not let Thee go

Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

Ibid.

Charles has fully swerved from the biblical narrative to his allegorical personal application. He speaks of the tenacity that is exhibited in one who truly wants to know the Lord.

Charles writes from the perspective of Jacob saying he will not let go until He tells him His name. Charles includes the suspicion of Jacob in asking if this could be his Savior – the Man that died for me?

But it cannot remain a suspicion. It must be confirmed.

Jacob declares that he will continue to wrestle, continue to hold on, until both the name and nature of this One are revealed to him.

True salvation comes from knowing the Lord. Knowing His name. Knowing His character. Knowing His nature and His ways.

Charles says through Wrestling Jacob that he will hold on until this revelation is made complete and sure.

Resolved

4. Wilt Thou not yet to me reveal

Thy new, unutterable name?

Tell me, I still beseech Thee, tell:

To know it now resolved I am;

Wrestling I will not let Thee go

Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

Ibid.

He repeats and intensifies his resolve. Will You not reveal Your name and nature yet? Then I will not stop wrestling until You do.

Some skeptics casually or superficially seek the Lord. They make some whimsical or feigned desire to know the Lord if He reveals Himself. But they do not wrestle. They do not struggle.

If the revelation does not come immediately, they lose interest. They move on to something else.

But Charles expresses the fervent resolve of Wrestling Jacob to endure. To never relent or let go until the request is answered.

Tell me Your name. Reveal to me Your nature.

I won’t let go until You do. Wait as long as You want. I’m holding on until the end.

‘Tis All In Vain

5. ‘Tis all in vain to hold Thy tongue,

Or touch the hollow of my thigh;

Though every sinew be unstrung,

Out of my arms Thou shalt not fly;

Wrestling I will not let Thee go

Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

Ibid.

What boldness!

Charles expressed that all of God’s efforts to hold back His identity are in vain. Wrestling Jacob will not let go. He will not lose heart. He will not give up.

Whatever pains may be experienced, they are mild compared to letting God go. Whatever sacrifices need to be made, whatever pains need to be endured, they are nothing compared to the sorrow of loosing his grip before knowing the name and nature of God.

Do what you must, declares Wrestling Jacob to His God. I will not let go until I know You as You know me.

I Rise

6. What though my shrinking flesh complain,

And murmur to contend so long,

I rise superior to my pain,

When I am weak then I am strong;

And when my all of strength shall fail,

I shall with the God-man prevail.

Ibid.

The Christian struggles not in their own strength but in the grace of God. Our flesh is weak. It complains. But God’s grace is enough for us.

When we are weak then we are strong. God’s grace provides the strength to endure. To abide. To remain.

To the praise of His glorious grace.

I Fall To Rise

7. My strength is gone, my nature dies,

I sink beneath Thy weighty hand,

Faint to revive, and fall to rise;

I fall, and yet by faith I stand,

I stand, and will not let Thee go,

Till I Thy name, Thy nature know.

Ibid.

It would be a mistake to think Charles thinks a Christian stands in their own strength to wrestle with the Almighty. Instead, Charles is presenting the seeming paradox of faith.

We must die to live. We must faint to revive. We must fall so that we can stand.

It is by faith that this is possible. Charles believes that God wants all to know Him. All to come to repentance and faith. But all must humble themselves before God in order to receive Him on His own terms.

(For more on Charles’s view of unlimited atonement, check out this post.)

If we will die to ourselves, God will provide His grace so that we can live in Christ. By faith we can stand. We can likewise proclaim that we will not let go until we know His name and His nature.

Thy Name is Love

8. Yield to me now; for I am weak,

But confident in self-despair:

Speak to my heart, in blessings speak,

Be conquer’d by my instant prayer;

Speak, or Thou never hence shalt move,

And tell me if Thy name is Love.

Ibid.

As Wrestling Jacob grows weary, he continues to cry out to God to reveal Himself. As he prays for God to reveal Himself, he also states that if God doesn’t he will still never let Him go.

Wrestling Jacob is beginning to understand the nature and name of God: Love.

UNIVERSAL LOVE

9. ‘Tis Love! ‘Tis Love! Thou diedst for me;

I hear Thy whisper in my heart:

The morning breaks, the shadows flee:

Pure UNIVERSAL LOVE Thou art;

To me, to all Thy bowels move;

Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.

Ibid.

Wrestling Jacob finally receives the answer he has been seeking. It is whispered to his heart.

As the darkness flees away and light shines upon a new day, the name and nature of God are revealed. God has sent forth His Son to be the Savior of all.

The Christian who knows God should delight to know that this is an intimately personal truth. To know that Christ died for me.

But it is also profoundly public. Christ died for all. God’s love is not for some. It is universal. It is freely available to all in Christ. It will not be forced on anyone. But it may be humbly received by all who call on the name and nature of the Lord.

In the midst of this stanza we have both a beautiful declaration of God’s love and another phrase that is easily misunderstood by the modern reader. Charles writes in the middle of declaring God’s universal love as both his name and nature this strange phrase: “To me, to all Thy bowels move.”

What does this mean?

All Thy Bowels Move?

Is Charles really talking about a divine bowel movement? That certainly seems out of place.

The modern phrase, “bowel movement” recognizes an internal bodily function. It applies it to a bathroom activity. But this isn’t what Charles meant.

In the King James Bible, the term “bowel(s)” appears thirty-nine times in thirty-seven different verses. Thirty verses in the Old Testament. Nine verses in the New Testament.

The New Testament verses give a good sampling of the range of meanings. You can read all nine verses for yourself, if you’d like. Here they are in a modern translation with the word translated “bowels” in the KJV in bold:

• Acts 1:18 – Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.
• 2 Corinthians 6:12 – You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
• Philippians 1:8 – For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
• Philippians 2:1 – Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion.
• Colossians 3:12 – So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
• Philemon 1:7 – For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
• Philemon 1:12 – I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart.
• Philemon 1:20 – Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.
• 1 John 3:17 – But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

In Acts 1:18, the term is used in the most literal sense. The inward parts of a person are being discussed. The remaining eight verses use the terminology to speak of deep affections or emotional feelings. The modern usage of “heart” often captures the sense.

When many people speak about love, they add words like “bottom” or “depths.” For example, from the bottom of my heart and the depths of my soul. The idea is to let someone know that these feelings are coming from deep inside.

Powerful emotions reside in the depths of a human being. These deep emotions are powerful motivators. They can cause us to act in meaningful ways.

This is the meaning of bowels as Charles used it. It speaks of deep emotions which stir to powerful action.

The love that Charles is describing from God is not superficial. It isn’t skin deep. It is a deep, powerful love flowing from the innermost character of God toward His creation.

To me. To all.

When Charles thinks about the awesome love of God expressed in sending His Son to die for sinners, it is appropriate to use this terminology speaking of the depths of God’s Person moving.

The God Charles serves is not a dispassionate, unconcerned God. Quite the contrary! The love of God stirs from deep within and He acts accordingly.

Grace Unspeakable

10. My prayer hath power with God; the grace

Unspeakable I now receive,

Through faith I see Thee face to face;

I see Thee face to face, and live:

In vain I have not wept and strove;

Thy nature and Thy name is Love.

Ibid.

Wrestling Jacob is reliant upon the grace of God. He prayed persistently. His prayer was heard and answered.

God provided the necessary grace to allow him to commune with his God, face to face. If it were not for grace, this would be impossible. God’s salvation has been given freely as a gift. It has been received freely by faith.

Wrestling Jacob’s tears and struggling were not for nothing. He has received the answer he sought after with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength.

He wanted to know the name and nature of His God. He found the answer in Christ.

Friend of Sinners

11. I know Thee, Savior, who Thou art,

Jesus, the feeble sinner’s Friend;

Nor wilt Thou with the night depart,

But stay, and love me to the end;

Thy mercies never shall remove;

Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.

Ibid.

Wrestling Jacob knows his Savior’s name. He knows his Savior’s nature. This gives him even greater comfort.

Jesus is a friend and savior to sinner’s who call upon Him. Jesus is faithful and steadfast in His love.

He will not sneak away under the cover of night. Jesus will remain with His people until the end. His mercies are new every day. They will never be taken away.

The Sun of Righteousness

12. The Sun of Righteousness on me

Hath rose with healing in His wings;

Wither’d my nature’s strength, from Thee

My soul its life and succor brings;

My help is all laid up above;

Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.

Ibid.

All of Wrestling Jacob’s glory, salvation, and healing are found in the nature and name of God. He is dependent upon grace, love, and mercy.

All of these are freely available to all by faith in Jesus.

Knowing this, Wrestling Jacob continues with all of his hope and comfort placed securely in the love of God.

On Thee Alone Depend

13. Contended now upon my thigh

I halt, till life’s short journey end;

All helplessness, all weakness, I

On Thee alone for strength depend,

Nor have I power from Thee to move;

Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.

Ibid.

Wrestling Jacob’s disposition is now changed. He no longer wrestles with God. He contends with Him no longer. Now, Wrestling Jacob depends on God.

While his wrestling lasted through the night, his dependence will remain until the end of his life.

All of his strength was exerted in knowing God’s name and nature. Now that he knows, he relies on God alone for strength. His own weakness and feeble nature are not worthy when compared to the grace and strength of God.

I Leap For Joy

14. Lame as I am, I take the prey,

Hell, earth, and sin with ease o’ercome;

I leap for joy, pursue my way,

And as a bounding hart fly home,

Through all eternity to prove,

Thy nature, and Thy name is Love.

Ibid.

The hymn ends with powerful imagery.

The wrestling has not left Jacob the same. He has been wounded in his thigh. He will remain lame for the rest of his life. Yet, in this wounding Jacob found health and peace.

In overcoming this wrestling match with the Almighty, Jacob now sees that hell, earth, and sin itself are easy enemies to overcome. They pale in comparison to God.

By resting in God’s grace, the victory is his. Nothing can overpower the love and strength God gives.

And even though he has been wounded in the leg, Wrestling Jacob leaps for joy. He rejoices in God, his Savior. He rejoices in the victory he has received by grace through faith. He rejoices in eternal life: knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

He rejoices and leaps for joy knowing this victory and testimony of God’s grace is not temporary. He looks forward to an eternity spent proving that God’s name and nature is love.

For all eternity, Wrestling Jacob will serve as a testimony of God’s redeeming grace. All will look upon the sinner saved by grace and boast in the grace of God.

Related Questions

What hymns did Charles Wesley write? Charles Wesley wrote approximately 9,000 hymns. Some of his most famous works are “Hark, The Herald Angel Sings,” “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing,” “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” and “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.”

When did Charles Wesley die? Charles Wesley died naturally in his home on March 29, 1788, at the age of 80. He was surrounded by his family. For more, read our post The Death of Charles Wesley.