The New English Hymnal ‎#485

485. Thy hand, O God, has guided

1 Thy hand, O God, has guided
Thy flock, from age to age;
The wondrous tale is written,
Full clear, on every page;
Our fathers owned thy goodness,
And we their deeds record;
And both of this bear witness,
One Church, one Faith, one Lord.

2 Thy heralds brought glad tidings
To greatest, as to least;
They bade men rise, and hasten
To share the great King's feast;
And this was all their teaching,
In every deed and word,
To all alike proclaiming
One Church, one Faith, one Lord.

3 Through many a day of darkness,
Through many a scene of strife,
The faithful few fought bravely
To guard the nation's life.
Their gospel of redemption,
Sin pardoned, man restored,
Was all in this enfolded,
One Church, one Faith, one Lord.

4 And we, shall we be faithless?
Shall hearts fail, hands hang down?
Shall we evade the conflict,
And cast away our crown?
Not so: in God's deep counsels
Some better thing is stored;
We will maintain, unflinching,
One church, one Faith, one Lord.

5 Thy mercy will not fail us,
Nor leave thy work undone;
With thy right hand to help us,
The victory shall be won;
And then, by men and angels,
Thy name shall be adored,
And this shall be their anthem,
One Church, one Faith, one Lord.

Text Information

• First Line: Thy hand, O God, has guided
• Author: Edward Plumptre, 1821-91
• Meter: 76 76 D
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 1986
• Topic: The Church: Its Mission and Unity; Dedication Festival

Tune Information

• Name: THORNBURY
• Composer: Basil Harwood, 1869-1949
• Meter: 76 76 D
• Key: D Major
• Copyright: The Exors of the late Basil Harwood
• Notes: Final bar simplified