Olney Hymns · Chapter
My Name Is Jacob explained
The speaker, likening himself to Jacob wrestling with the angel, refuses to let go of God until he receives a blessing.
What happens
The speaker, likening himself to Jacob wrestling with the angel, refuses to let go of God until he receives a blessing. He confesses his past rebellion and sin, acknowledges God's mercy and faithfulness through many years, and pleads boldly for continued grace, trusting that God will not let him sink.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional peak occurs in stanza V, where the speaker’s hope is violently extinguished as Satan obscures ev…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Prayer and Dependence on God
The speaker's persistent prayer and refusal to let go of God until he receives a blessing.
- Grace and Unmerited Favor
The speaker acknowledges his past rebellion and sin, yet relies on God's mercy and grace to sustain him.
Characters to notice
- Jacob
The speaker identifies with Jacob, who wrestled with God and would not let go until he received a blessing.
- The Lord
The one to whom the speaker pleads, who has shown mercy and upheld him through many years.
- The Narrator
The speaker who confesses his past rebellion and now pleads for blessing.
Key passages
“Nay, I cannot let thee go Till a blessing thou bestow”
I refuse to release you until you grant me a blessing.
The speaker's determination to persist in prayer.
“Dost thou ask me who I am? Ah, my Lord, thou know’st my name!”
You ask who I am, but you already know my name.
The speaker acknowledges God's omniscience.
“Thou didst once a wretch behold, In rebellion blindly bold, Scorn thy grace, thy power defy, That poor rebel, Lord, was I.”
You once saw a miserable person, boldly rebellious, scorning your grace and defying your power—that rebel was me.
Confession of past sin and rebellion.
“Once a sinner near despair Sought thy mercy-seat by prayer; Mercy heard and set him free— Lord, that mercy came to me.”
A sinner in despair once prayed at your mercy seat, and mercy heard and freed him—that mercy came to me.
The speaker recalls his own conversion experience.
“Many years have pass’d since then, Many changes I have seen, Yet have been upheld till now; Who could hold me up but thou?”
Many years have passed, and I have seen many changes, yet I have been upheld until now; who else could hold me up but you?
Acknowledgment of God's sustaining faithfulness.
“Thou hast help’d in every need, This emboldens me to plead; After so much mercy past, Canst thou let me sink at last?”
You have helped in every need, which gives me courage to plead; after so much mercy in the past, can you let me sink now?
The speaker's boldness based on past experiences of God's help.
