I was recently introduced to the song, “No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus” by Steffany Gretzinger. While searching for it the other day, I was reminded that this song is (loosly) based on a hymn written long before. I ended up listening to both versions and noticed a few differences between them. The two most notable differences are in their lyrics and in their melody. The hymn, as sung by Sandi, contains references to sin and salvation while Steffany’s focuses on joy and God’s provision for her. You will be able to hear the difference in the melody when you listen.
So, I’ve decided to put these songs side-by-side for you to listen to. And I’m interested in knowing which one you prefer (and why)!
Check them out!
No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus
Performed by: Sandi Patty
Lyrics by: Charles F. Weigle
Lyrics:
I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true
I would tell you how He’s changed my life completely
He did something that no other friend could do
No one ever cared for me like Jesus
There’s no other friend so kind as He
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me
O how much He cares for me
Ev’ry day He comes to me with new assurance
More and more I understand His words of love
But I’ll never know just why He came to save me
Till someday I see His blessed face above
No one ever cared for me like Jesus
There’s no other friend so kind as He
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me
O how much He cares
O how much He cares
O how much He cares for me
No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus
Performed by: Steffany Gretzinger
Lyrics by: (Steffany Gretzinger, Jason Ingram, Dante Bowe, Chandler Moore)
Lyrics:
If my heart could tell a story
If my life would sing a song
If I have a testimony
If I have anything at all
No one ever cared for me like Jesus
His faithful hand has held me all this way
And when I’m old and grey
And all my days
Are numbered on the earth
Let it be known in You alone
My joy was found
Let my children tell their children
Let this be their memory
That all my treasure was in heaven
And You were everything to me
I’m still in love
You’re still enough for me
Still all I want
You’re still my everything
With Wills 
Generally, I will always prefer the older hymns right off the bat, perhaps by an unfair prejudice with what is more familiar to me. But after listening to both versions (I hand never heard either one before), I really like the newer hymn but I still identify more with the older hymn. I would like it even more if Sandi Patti had sung the second verse:
All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me,
All my heart was full of misery and woe;
Jesus placed His strong and loving arms around me
And He led me in the way I light to go.
This hymn was not in my church’s hymnals, but my mom frequently played records with hymns and so I was somewhat familiar with the hymn, although it wasn’t anything special to me until I learned the story behind it in high school. Charles F. Weigle was an evangelist and hymn writer a century ago, but his wife was opposed to his traveling and preaching. Eventually she told him that she could not live the Christian life and she took their daughter with her from Florida to the “bright lights” of Hollywood, California. Weigle went into a time of depression for several years after, and was on the brink of suicide when he heard Jesus telling him that He loved him and that He had indeed called him to preach the gospel. That memory helped him endure similar situations during those years, and he eventually wrote this hymn in reflection of that time. The memory of the story has encouraged me through similar circumstances, and so it is a special hymn to me.
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I liked both of them, though I probably lean toward Sandy’s style of music….Sandy Patty’s gave us Jesus’ love and care in taking away our sin and Steffany sang of Jesus’ care for her after salvation. Both are important.
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