November 9, 2005

Have faith in God –
And not in man’s endeavor;
Have faith in God –
No power Christ’s love can sever;
Have faith in God –
His kingdom is forever.
Have faith, dear friend, in God.

Praise the Savior, Ye Who Know Him

Thomas Kelly, 1769-1854

    O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you. Psalm 88:1.

Thomas Kelly is considered to be one of the most distinguished spiritual poets of the 19th Century. After his dismissal from the Anglican church for his zealous evangelistic preaching, especially on the subject of "justification by faith"--a doctrinal taboo by the High Church--he associated himself with the dissenting Congregationalists, becoming known as a magnetic preacher throughout his ministry.

These inspiring verses by Thomas Kelly, based on Psalm 88:1, were published in 1809. The melody of this hymn is of unknown German origin.

Praise the Savior, ye who know Him!
Who can tell how much we owe Him?
Gladly let us render to Him
All we are and have.

Jesus is the Name that charms us,
He for conflict fits and arms us;
Nothing moves and nothing harms us
While we trust in Him.

Trust in Him, ye saints, forever,
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him.

Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving
To Thyself, and still believing,
Till the hour of receiving
Promised joys with Thee.

Then we shall be where we would be,
Then we shall be what we should be,
Things that are not now, nor could be,
Soon shall be our own.

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