Thursday, August 03, 2023

A Good Trinitarian hymn

59 Ancient of Days. 11. 10. 11. 10.

1 Ancient of Days, who sittest, throned in glory,
   To Thee all knees are bent, all voices pray;
   Thy love hast blest the wide world's wondrous story
   With light and life since Eden's dawning day.

2 O Holy Father, who hast led Thy children
   In all the ages, with the fire and cloud,
   Through seas dry-shod, through weary wastes bewildering;
   To Thee, in reverent love, our hearts are bowed.

3 O Holy Jesus, Prince of Peace and Saviour,
   To Thee we owe the peace that still prevails,
   Stilling the rude wills of men's wild behavior,
   And calming passion's fierce and stormy gales.

4 O Holy Ghost, the Lord and the Life-giver,
   Thine is the quickening power that gives increase;
   From Thee have flowed, as from a mighty river,
   Our plenty, wealth, prosperity and peace.

5 O Triune God, with heart and voice adoring,
   Praise we the goodness that doth crown our days;
   Pray we that Thou wilt hear us, still imploring
   Thy love and favor, kept to us always.
                         William C. Doane
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
A good while ago now Robin Parry bemoaned in his Worshipping Trinity the lack of good Trinitarian hymns being written today. He suggested that we seek out the old ones and sing them, in an attempt to bolster the theology of the church. Well, here's a good one!
</idle musing>

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