Margaret Clarkson

Margaret Clarkson was a distinguished Canadian educator and one of the most significant evangelical hymn writers of the 20th century. Born in Melville, Saskatchewan, in 1915, she spent the majority of her life in Toronto, where she was educated and embarked on a thirty-eight-year career as an elementary school teacher. Clarkson’s life was characterized by a deep, disciplined study of the Bible and a gift for lyrical expression, which she used to bridge the gap between historical hymnody and the contemporary church's needs.

Her contribution to sacred music is extensive, with over a hundred hymn texts to her credit, many of which are compiled in her 1987 collection, A Singing Heart. She is perhaps best known for her powerful mission hymn, "So Send I You," which she wrote in 1937 while teaching in a remote lumbering town. The hymn, born from her own struggles with loneliness and the demands of her calling, has become a global anthem for Christian service and sacrifice. Another of her widely sung works is "Our God Is a God Who Makes All Things New," which reflects her recurring themes of hope, sovereignty, and divine restoration.

In recognition of her profound influence on congregational song, Clarkson was named a Fellow of The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada in 1992. Beyond her hymns, she was a prolific author of seventeen books, including works on suffering, such as Grace Grows Best in Winter, which drew from her personal experience with chronic pain. Her writing was celebrated for its theological integrity and its ability to provide comfort and challenge in equal measure.

Margaret Clarkson passed away in 2008, leaving behind a legacy of song that continues to be featured in major hymnals such as Worship & Rejoice. She is remembered as a writer whose "singing heart" was fueled by a lifetime of personal Christian experience and a steadfast devotion to the Word of God, providing the church with a voice that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply moving.