December 7, 2005

Have faith in God –
On land, in air, at sea;
Have faith in God –
Wherever you may be;
Have faith in God –
His angels care for thee.
Have faith, dear friend, in God.

Join all the Glorious Names

Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

    Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. Psalm 72:19.

    Join All the Glorious Names was first published in 1707 in Isaac Watts' Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Book 1. This hymn is generally regarded as one of Isaac Watts' finest among his more than 600 hymns and psalm paraphrases. These numerous works have earned him the title of the "father of English hymnody".

Join all the glorious names
Of wisdom, love, and power,
That ever mortals knew,
That angels ever bore:
All are too mean to speak His worth,
To poor to set my Savior forth.

But O what gentle terms,
What condescending ways,
Doth our Redeemer use
To teach His heav’nly grace!
Mine eyes with joy and wonder see
What forms of love He bears for me.

Arrayed in mortal flesh,
He like an angel stands,
And holds the promises
And pardons in His hands;
Commissioned from His Father’s throne
To make His grace to mortals known.

Great Prophet of my God,
My tongue would bless Thy Name,
By Thee the joyful news
Of our salvation came,
The joyful news of sin forgiv’n
Of hell subdued, and peace with heav’n.

Be Thou my Counselor,
My Pattern, and my Guide,
And through this desert land
Still keep me near Thy side:
Nor let my feet e’er run astray
Nor rove nor seek the crooked way.

I love my Shepherd’s voice,
His watchful eyes shall keep
My wand’ring soul among
The thousands of His sheep:
He feeds His flock, He calls their names,
His bosom bears the tender lambs.

To this dear Surety’s hand
Will I commit my cause;
He answers and fulfills
His Father’s broken laws:
Behold my soul at freedom set!
My Surety paid the dreadful debt.

Jesus, my great High Priest,
Offered His blood and died;
My guilty conscience seeks
No sacrifice beside:
His pow’rful blood did once atone,
And now it pleads before the throne.

My Advocate appears
For my defense on High;
The Father bows His ears,
And lays His thunder by:
Not all that Hell or sin can say
Shall turn His heart, His love away.

My dear Almighty LORD,
My Conqueror and my King,
Thy scepter and Thy sword,
Thy reigning grace I sing:
Thine is the pow’r; behold I sit
In willing bonds beneath Thy feet.

Now let my soul arise,
And tread the tempter down;
My Captain leads me forth
To conquest and a crown:
A feeble saint shall win the day,
Though death and Hell obstruct the way.

Should all the hosts of death,
And powers of Hell unknown,
Put their most dreadful forms
Of rage and mischief on,
I shall be safe, for Christ displays
Superior power, and guardian grace.

Have Faith in God by H.M.S. Richards, Used by Permission