Immortal invisible,
God only wise
This
hymn was inspired by 1 Tim 1.17 “To the
King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for
ever and ever. Amen.” It was written by Walter Chalmers Smith (1824-1908),
who was born in Aberdeen, and subsequently ministered in the Scottish Church in
Chadwell Street, Islington before becoming minister of various Free Church
congregations in Scotland. He was moderator of the Free Church of Scotland in
1893.
Originally
the hymn’s last two verses were slightly different,
Great Father of glory, pure
Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all
veiling their sight;
But of all Thy rich graces
this grace, Lord, impart
Take the veil from our
faces, the vile from our heart.
All laud we would render; O
help us to see
’Tis only the splendour of
light hideth Thee,
And so let Thy glory,
Almighty, impart,
Through Christ in His story,
Thy Christ to the heart.
The
original verses make much plainer the intention of Chalmers in this hymn to
remind the singer that though the Bible is important in shaping our faith in
fact it is only the direct experience of God in Christ which can really show us
the heart of God. God can’t be tied down in words on a page. As a Free Church
minister this would have been a very challenging idea for his, very
Bible-based, congregation.
The
tune, St Denio, is based on a Welsh folk song.
Immortal, invisible,
God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life thou givest — to both great and small;
In all life thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth thee.
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render: O help us to see
’Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, thy great Name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
Nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
Thy justice like mountains high soaring above
Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life thou givest — to both great and small;
In all life thou livest, the true life of all;
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish—but naught changeth thee.
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
All laud we would render: O help us to see
’Tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.
- How has your image of God been formed? What authority do you give to the Bible in your life?
I couldn't embed this video, but the link for you to watch it is here.
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