O God of Wondrous Grace and Glory

The Luther Rose

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Luther D. Reed (1873-1972) was a scholar of Lutheran liturgics.  He wrote The Lutheran Liturgy (first edition, 1947; second edition, 1959).  The Lutheran Service Book and Hymnal of 1958 indicates that Reed composed the following hymn (words and music) for that volume.

Citation:  Aside from the Service Book and Hymnal, hymn #353, I cite The Oxford History of Christian Worship (New York:  Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 729), edited by Geoffrey Wainwright and Karen B. Westerfield Tucker.  Wainwright wrote the chapter that includes page 729.

KRT

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1.  O God of wondrous grace and glory,

Whose law is love, Whose love is life;

We worship thee, we bow before thee

In days of calm, in hours of strife.

In thee we trust; bless thou our land;

Our times are in thy hand.

2.  Strong Son of God, who livest ever,

Whom death and hell could not contain,

Who stopped to serve, yet reignest ever;

Uphold the right; let truth remain.

Forgive our sins; our lives command;

Our times are in thy hand.

3.  O Holy Spirit, pure and mighty,

Whose breath revives the souls of men;

Cleanse thou our hearts, inspire us rightly

To live, and learn, and love again.

We would not build on sinking sand;

Our times are in thy hand.

4.  O God, whose grace and power supernal

Endure, though time itself decay;

Our strength renew, with life eternal

Crown all who seek and find the way.

Thy word, O God, the Spirit’s sword,

Give peace in our time, O Lord.