Word of God, Across the Ages

Above:  The Reading of the Gospel, St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church, Athens, Georgia, February 28, 2016

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1951) by Ferdinand Quincy Blanchard (1876-1966), for the publication of the Old Testament (1952) of the Revised Standard Version

Text copyrighted 1953 by the Hymn Society of America

Copyright renewed in 1981 by the Hymn Society of America

Copyright still in effect in Baptist Hymnal (2008), Southern Baptist Convention; and the Celebrating Grace Hymnal (2010), Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

Hymn Source = Baptist Hymnal (1975), Southern Baptist Convention

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Word of God, across the ages

Comes thy message to our life;

Source of hope forever present

In our toil and fears and strife;

Constant witness to God’s mercy,

Still our grace whate’er befall,

Guide unfailing, strength eternal,

Offered freely to us all.

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Story of man’s wondrous journey

From the shadows of the night;

Garnered truth of sage and prophet,

Guiding forward into light;

Words and deeds of Christ our Master,

Pointing to the life and way,

Still appealing, still inspiring,

‘Mid the struggles of today.

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In the tongues of all the peoples

May the message bless and heal,

As devout and patient scholars

More and more its depths reveal;

Bless, O God, to wise and simple,

All thy truth of ageless worth,

Till all lands receive the witness

And thy knowledge fills the earth.