God of grace and God of glory

279 CWM Rhondda. 8. 7. 8. 7. 8. 7.

1 God of grace and God of glory,
   On Thy people pour Thy power;
   Crown Thine ancient Church’s story;
   Bring her bud to glorious flower.
   Grant us wisdom,
   Grant us courage,
   For the facing of this hour,
   For the facing of this hour.

2 Lo! the hosts of evil round us
   Scorn Thy Christ, assail His ways!
   Fears and doubts too long have bound us;
   Free our hearts to work and praise.
   Grant us wisdom,
   Grant us courage,
   For the living of these days,
   For the living of these days.

3 Cure Thy children’s warring madness,
   Bend our pride to Thy control;
   Shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
   Rich in things and poor in soul.
   Grant us wisdom,
   Grant us courage,
   Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal,
   Lest we miss Thy kingdom’s goal.

4 Set our feet on lofty places;
   Gird our lives that they may be
   Armored with all Christ-like graces
   In the fight to set men free.
   Grant us wisdom,
   Grant us courage,
   That we fail not them nor Thee,
   That we fail not them nor Thee!

5 Save us from weak resignation
   To the evils we deplore:
   Let the search for Thy salvation
   Be our glory evermore.
   Grant us wisdom,
   Grant us courage,
   Serving Thee whom we adore,
   Serving Thee whom we adore.
                         Henry Emerson Fosdick
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
Another rousing hymn. This particular section of the hymnal is entitled The Christian Life: Activity and Zeal, so yesterday's, today's, and the next several days will be rousing hymns, some with military symbolism (see my musings from yesterday on that topic).

I continue to choose hymns that are not common in hymnals. I guess it shows that I grew up in the liberal wing of Christianity, the Methodist church. This, again, was a staple hymn, but it only occurs in 157 hymnals. Sad. It's a good hymn with good solid practical theology. Sure, it's short on atonement themes, but we have other hymns we can sing to supply that! The third verse, especially, speaks to our current situation:

  Cure Thy children’s warring madness,
   Bend our pride to Thy control;
   Shame our wanton, selfish gladness,
   Rich in things and poor in soul.

For those who don't know, Henry Emerson Fosdick was a famous liberal (in the theological sense) pastor in the early–mid part of the twentieth century. He stood strongly against racism and other structural sins. Although he supported the US in WWI, he later regretted it. (The wiki page I linked to is a good source.)
</idle musing>