O God of truth, whose living Word

Representative Text

1 O God of truth, whose living word
upholds whate’er hath breath,
look down on thy creation, Lord,
enslaved by sin and death.

2 Set up thy standard, Lord, that we,
who claim a heavenly birth,
may march with thee to smite the lies
that vex thy groaning earth.

3 Ah, would we join that blest array,
and follow in the might
of him, the Faithful and the True,
in raiment clean and white?

4 We fight for truth? We fight for God?
Poor slaves of lies and sin!
He who would fight for thee on earth
must first be true within.

5 Then, God of truth, for whom we long,
thou who wilt hear our prayer,
do thine own battle in our hearts,
and slay the falsehood there.

6 Yea, come! Then, tried as in the fire,
from every lie set free,
thy perfect truth shall dwell in us,
and we shall live in thee.

Source: CPWI Hymnal #434a

Author: Thomas Hughes

Hughes, Thomas, M.A., born at Donington Priory, near Newbury, Berks, Oct. 20, 1823, and educated at Rugby, and at Oriel College, Oxford (B.A. 1845), and called to the Bar, 1848. From 1865 to 1868 he was M.P. for Lambeth, and from 1868 to 1874 for Frome. Appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1869. He has published several popular works, including Tom Brown's School Days, 1856; The Scouring of the White Horse, 1858; Tom Brown at Oxford, 1861, and others. His hymn:— "0 God of Truth whose Living Word," Truth, 9 stanzas of 4 lines, was given to the Hon. Mrs. Norton for insertion in Lays of the Sanctuary, 1859, p. 98, a collection published for a charitable purpose. It is a hymn of great force, and seems to gather up and embody the distinctive thou… Go to person page >

Text Information

Tune

MIRFIELD


CHRISTUS, DER IST MEIN LEBEN

Melchior Vulpius (PHH 397) composed this short chorale tune, published as a setting for the anonymous funeral hymn "Christus, der ist mein Leben" ("For Me to Live Is Jesus") in Vulpius's Ein Schön Geistlich Gesangbuch (1609). Johann S. Bach (PHH 7) based his Cantata 95 on this tune and provided two…

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MARTYRS (13153)


Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #4904
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The Cyber Hymnal #4904

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CPWI Hymnal #434a

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CPWI Hymnal #434b

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #222

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Rejoice in the Lord #38

Include 70 pre-1979 instances
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