O say not, think not, heavenly notes

O say not, think not, heavenly notes

Author: John Keble
Published in 12 hymnals

Representative Text

O, say not, think not, heavenly notes
To childish ears are vain,—
That the young mind at random floats,
And cannot reach the strain.

Was not our Lord a little child,
Taught by degrees to pray,
By father dear and mother mild
Instructed day by day?

And loved he not of heaven to talk
With children in his sight,
To meet them in his daily walk,
And to his arms invite?

And though some tones be weak and low,
What are all prayers beneath,
But cries of babes, that cannot know
Half the deep thought they breathe?

In his own words we Christ adore;
But angels, as we speak,
Higher above our meaning soar
Than we o’er children weak.

And yet his words mean more than they,
And yet he owns their praise;
O, think not that he turns away
From infants’ simple lays!



Source: A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #443

Author: John Keble

Keble, John, M.A., was born at Fairford, in Gloucestershire, on St. Mark's Day, 1792. His father was Vicar of Coln St. Aldwin's, about three miles distant, but lived at Fairford in a house of his own, where he educated entirely his two sons, John and Thomas, up to the time of their entrance at Oxford. In 1806 John Keble won a Scholarship at Corpus Christi College, and in 1810 a Double First Class, a distinction which up to that time had been gained by no one except Sir Robert Peel. In 1811 he was elected a Fellow of Oriel, a very great honour, especially for a boy under 19 years of age; and in 1811 he won the University Prizes both for the English and Latin Essays. It is somewhat remarkable that amid this brilliantly successful career,… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: O say not, think not, heavenly notes
Author: John Keble
Copyright: Public Domain

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Instances

Instances (1 - 12 of 12)
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A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion. (10th ed.) #443

A Service Book #208b

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship #615

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship. 8th ed. #a615

Hymns for Mothers #d55

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Hymns for Public Worship #531

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Hymns for the Church of Christ (3rd thousand) #713

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Hymns for the Church of Christ. (6th thousand) #713

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Plymouth Collection #a927

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Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations #927

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The Gospel Psalmist #838

Text

A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #443

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