Sunday, April 14, 2024

God the omnipotent!

505 Russian Hymn. 11. 10. 11. 9.

1 God, the Omnipotent! King who ordainest
   Thunder Thy clarion, and lightning Thy sword!
   Show forth Thy pity on high where Thou reignest;
   Give to us peace in our time, O Lord!

2 God, the All-Merciful! earth hath forsaken
   Meekness and mercy, and slighted Thy word;
   Let not Thy wrath in its terror awaken;
   Give to us peace in our time, O Lord!

3 God the All-rightous One! man hath defied Thee;
   Yet to eternity standeth Thy word
   Falsehood and wrong shall not tarry beside Thee;
   Give to us peace in our time, O Lord!

4 So will Thy people, with thankful devotion,
   Praise Him who sav’d them from peril and sword!
   Shouting in chorus, from ocean to ocean,
   Peace to th’nations and praise to the Lord!
                         Henry F. Chorley
                         John Ellerton
                         The Methodist Hymnal 1939 edition

<idle musing>
What a mess this hymn is! For being a relatively recent hymn and only in 200 or so hymnals, it seems every hymnal has a different set of verses and arranges them differently. Further, I haven't been able to figure out how John Ellerton is associated with the hymn.

Despite all that, it seems a very appropriate prayer/hymn for our times, although I couldn't help but see the irony in the tune being titled Russian Hymn!
</idle musing>

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