Above:  Part of My Biblical Studies Library, September 15, 2019

Photographer = Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Text (1861) by Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877)

Hymn Source = The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927)

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Lord, Thy word abideth,

And our footsteps guideth;

Who its truth believeth

Light and joy receiveth.

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When our foes are near us,

Then Thy word doth cheer us,

Word of consolation,

Message of salvation.

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When the storms are o’er us,

And dark clouds before us,

Then its light directeth,

And our way protecteth.

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Who can tell the pleasure,

Who recount the treasure,

By Thy word imparted

To the simple-hearted?

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Word of mercy, giving

Succour to the living;

Word of life, supplying

Comfort to the dying!

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O that we, discerning

Its most holy learning,

Lord, may love and fear Thee,

Evermore be near Thee!

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Above:  Grace Episcopal Church, Gainesville, Georgia, July 7, 2018

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1887) by Walter Chalmers Smith (1824-1908)

Hymn Source = The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927), of various Presbyterian denominations

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One thing I of the Lord desire,–

For all my way hath miry been–

Be it by water for by fire,

O make me clean!

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If clearer vision Thou impart,

Grateful and glad my soul shall be;

But yet to have a purer heart

Is more to me.

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Yea, only as the heart is clean

May larger vision yet be mine,

For mirrored in its depths are seen

The things divine.

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I watch to shun the miry way,

And stanch the spring of guilty thought;

But, watch and wrestle as I may,

Pure I am not.

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O wash Thou me without, within,

Or purge with fire, if that must be,–

No matter how, if only sin

Die out in me.

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Above:  Clouds on the Horizon

Photographer = William Henry Jackson (1843-1942)

Image Source = Library of Congress

Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-det-4a16709

Text (1867; subsequently modified) by Walter Chalmers Smith (1824-1908)

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Walter Chalmers Smith altered his text.  As best as I can determine, the original six-stanza version of the hymn was as follows:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

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Unresting, unhasting, silent as light,

Nor striving, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;

Thy justice like mountains soaring above

Thy clouds which are are fountains of goodness and love.

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All live thou givest–to both great and small;

In all life livest, true life of all;

Thy blossom and flourish only are we,

To wither and perish–but nought changeth thee.

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Today and tomorrow with Thee still are now;

Nor trouble, nor sorrow, nor care, Lord, hast thou;

Nor passion doth fever, nor age can decay,

The same God for ever as on yesterday.

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Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;

But of all Thy good graces this grace, Lord, impart–

Take the veil from our faces, the veil from our heart.

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All laud we would render; O help us to see,

‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee;

And now let Thy glory to our gaze unroll

Through Christ in the story, and Christ in the soul.

Sources:  

The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927), The Church of Scotland, The United Free Church of Scotland, The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, The Presbyterian Church of England, The Presbyterian Church of Wales, The Presbyterian Church of Australia, The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and The Presbyterian Church of South Africa

Moffatt, James, ed. Handbook to The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927)

Stulken, Mary Kay, and Catherine Salika.  Hymnal Companion to Worship–Third Edition (1998), Roman Catholic Church

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Since The English Hymnal (1906), however, the standard version has been four stanzas long.  This has resulted from various minor changes, the omission of the original fourth stanza, the omission of the second halves of the original fifth and sixth stanzas, and the creation of a new fourth stanza from the first halves of the original fifth and sixth stanzas.

I have italicized changes from the version above.

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Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light accessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, Victorious, Thy great name we praise.

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Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;

Thy justice like mountains high soaring above

Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

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To all life Thou givest–to both great and small;

In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;

We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,

And wither and perish–but nought changeth Thee.

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Great Father of Glory, pure Father of Light,

Thine Angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;

All laud we would render; O help us to see

‘Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee.

Other Sources:

Moffatt, James, ed. Handbook to The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927)

Young, Carlton R.  Companion to The United Methodist Hymnal (1993)

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Above:  A Crucifix

Photograph by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Text (c. 1887) by Eustace Rogers Conder (1820-1892), for the Congregational Church Hymnal, or Hymns of Worship, Praise, and Prayer (1887), Congregational Union of England and Wales

Hymn Source = The Church Hymnary–Revised Edition (1927), several Old World Presbyterian denominations

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Ye fair green hills of Galilee,

That girdle quite Nazareth,

What glorious vision did ye see,

When He who conquered sin and death

Your flowery slopes and summits trod,

and grew in grace with man and God?

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“We saw no  glory crown His head,

As childhood ripened into youth;

No angels on His errands sped;

He wrought no sign; but meekness, truth,

And duty marked each step He trod,

And love to man, and love to God.”

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Jesus! my Saviour, Master, King,

Who didst for me the burden bear,

While saints in heaven Thy glory sing,

Let me on earth Thy likeness wear;

Mine be the path Thy feet have trod,–

Duty, and love to man and God.

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Above:  Christ Pantocrator

Scan by Kenneth Randolph Taylor

Words (1901) by Charles Albert Dickinson (1849-1906)

Hymn Source = Williston Hymns (1917)

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To Thee, O Savior Friend,

Our loving pray’rs ascend,

To Thee we sing.

Upon Thine altars here

Our choicest gifts appear,

And all we hold most dear

To Thee we bring.

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Sometimes our love to Thee

Grows cold, and seems to be

A fleeting breath.

But Thine burns warm and pure

While earthly things endure:

A love forever sure

In life and death.

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Dear Lord, our love renew

That we with zeal may do

Thy holy will.

Support us when we fall,

Be near us when we call,

Direct and help us all

To serve Thee still.

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Above:  Mountain and Sky, Utah

Image in the Public Domain

Original German Text (1680) by Joachim Neander (1650-1680)

Composite English Translation

Hymn Source = Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church (1917), The United Lutheran Church in America (1918-1962) and its immediate predecessor bodies

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Heaven and earth, and sea and air,

All their Maker’s praise declare;

Wake, my soul, awake and sing:

Now thy grateful praises bring.

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See the glorious orb of day

Breaking through the clouds his way;

Moon and stares with silvery light

Praise Him through the silent night.

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See how He hath ev’ry where

Made this earth so rich and fair;

Hill and vale and fruitful land,

All things living, show His hand.

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See how through the boundless sky

Fresh and free the birds do fly;

Fire and wind and storm are still

Servants of His royal will.

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See the water’s ceaseless flow,

Ever circling to and fro;

From the sources to the sea,

Still it rolls in praise to Thee.

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Lord, great wonders workest Thou!

To Thy sway all creatures bow.

Write Thou deeply in my heart

What I am, and what Thou art!

Above:  The High Altar, Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Covington, Georgia, May 7, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (Unitas Fratrum) (1923), Moravian Church in America

Text by James Montgomery (1771-1854)

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Our heavenly Father, hear

The prayer we offer now;

Thy Name be hallowed far and near,

To Thee all nations bow.

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Thy kingdom come; Thy will

On earth be done in love,

As saints and seraphim fulfill

Thy perfect law above.

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Our daily bread supply,

While by Thy Word we live;

The guilt of our iniquity

Forgive us, as we forgive.

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From dark temptation’s power,

From Satan’s wiles defend;

Deliver in the evil hour,

And guide us to the end.

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Thine, then, for ever be

Glory and power divine;

The scepter, throne and majesty

Of heaven and earth are Thine.

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Thus humbly taught to pray,

By Thy beloved Son,

Through Him we come  to Thee, and say

All for His sake be done.

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This is post #1850 of GATHERED PRAYERS.

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Above:  The High Altar, All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, May 14, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1819) by James Montgomery (1771-1854)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

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Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,

Unuttered or expressed,

The motion of a hidden fire

That trembles in the breast.

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Prayer is the burden of a sigh,

The falling of a tear,

The upward glancing of an eyes,

When none but God is near.

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Prayer is the simplest form of speech

That infant lips can try;

Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach

The Majesty on high.

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Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath;

The Christian’s native air,

His watchword at the gates of death;

He enters heaven with prayer.

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Prayer is the contrite sinner’s voice,

Returning from his ways;

While angels in their songs rejoice

And cry, “Behold, he prays!”

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O Thou by Whom we come to God,

The Life, the Truth, the Way!

The path of prayer Thyself hast trod;

Lord, teach us how to pray.

Above:  The High Altar, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1818) by James Montgomery (1771-1854)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

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Lord, teach us how to pray aright,

With reverence and with fear;

Though dust and ashes in Thy sight,

We may, we must draw near.

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God of all grace, we come to Thee

With broken, contrite hearts;

Give what Thine eye delights to see,

Truth in the inward parts.

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Give deep humility; the sense

Of godly sorrow give;

A strong, desiring confidence

To hear Thy voice and live;

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Faith in the only sacrifice

That can for sin atone,

To cast our hopes, to fix our eyes

On Christ, on Christ alone;

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Patience to watch, and wait, and weep,

Though mercy long delay;

Courage our fainting souls to keep,

And trust Thee though Thou slay;

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Give these, and then Thy will be done;

Thus strengthened with all might,

We, by Thy Spirit and Thy Son,

Shall pray and pray  aright.

Above:  The High Altar, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Decatur, Georgia, June 11, 2017

Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta

Text (1825) by James Montgomery (1771-1854)

Hymn Source = Hymnal and Liturgies of the Moravian Church (1969), Moravian Church in America

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Almighty God, in humble prayer

To Thee our souls we lift;

Be Thou our waiting minds prepare

For Thy most needful gift.

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We ask not golden streams of wealth

Along our path to flow;

We ask not undecaying health,

Nor length of years below;

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We ask not honors, which an hour

May bring and take away;

We ask not pleasure, pomp, and power,

Lest we should go astray.

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We ask not for wisdom:  Lord, impart

The knowledge how to live;

A wise and understanding heart

To all before Thee give.

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The young remember Thee in youth

Before the evil day!

The old be guided by Thy truth

In wisdom’s pleasant way!