Saturday, March 18, 2017

Singing the Faith: Day 13: Praise and Thanksgiving

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness

This hymn, traditionally sung in the Epiphany season is by John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811-75). He was the son of the Archdeacon of Derry, and was educated in Ireland, before being ordained in the Anglican Church in 1834. He was rector of Egham in Surrey and St Nicholas Guildford, where he died in an accident while inspecting the progress of building work in the church.
He composed over 300 hymns, but only this one and “Fight the Good Fight” are regularly sung today. Monsell believed that hymns should be sung joyfully, saying “We are too distant and reserved in our praises. We sing not as we should of him who is Chief among ten thousand, the altogether Lovely”. That impulse is certainly present in this hymn, with its injunction to “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness”. It is clear from the hymn, though, that this holiness is not necessarily to be found in outwardly splendid things, but in truth and trust, obedience and lowliness.
The tune , “Was lebete, was schwebet” comes from a German manuscript of 1754.



O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
with gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness,
kneel and adore him: the Lord is his name.

Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness:
high on his heart he will bear it for thee,
comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness,
guiding thy steps as may best for thee be.

Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness
of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine:
truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness,
these are the offerings to lay on his shrine.

These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness,
he will accept for the name that is dear;
mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness,
trust for our trembling and hope for our fear.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness;
bow down before him, his glory proclaim;
with gold of obedience, and incense oflowliness,
kneel and adore him: the Lord is his name.



  • What do you think the “beauty of holiness” looks like? 

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