Whate'er to thee, our Lord belongs

Whate'er to thee, our Lord belongs

Author: Anonymous
Published in 18 hymnals

Representative Text

Whate'er to thee our Lord belongs
Is always worthy of our songs:
And all thy works, and all thy ways
Demand our wonder and our praise.

Source: A Selection of Hymns: from the best authors, intended to be an appendix to Dr. Watt's psalms and hymns. (1st Am. ed.) #CDLV

Author: Anonymous

In some hymnals, the editors noted that a hymn's author is unknown to them, and so this artificial "person" entry is used to reflect that fact. Obviously, the hymns attributed to "Author Unknown" "Unknown" or "Anonymous" could have been written by many people over a span of many centuries. Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Whate'er to thee, our Lord belongs
Author: Anonymous
Meter: 8.8.8.8
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Notes

Whate'er to Thee, our Lord, belongs. [Holy Baptism.] This is the first of 13 "Single Verses on Baptism" given in Rippon's Baptist Selection, 1787, Nos. 455-476. The authors of these stanzas are: stanzas i., iii.-v., B. Beddome; ii. xi., J. Stennett; vii.-ix., H. F.; x., H.; xii., G.; and vi. and xiii. anonymous, but possibly by Rippon. The object of this arrangement of these stanzas is thus stated by Rippon in a note:—

As it is now pretty common to sing by the water side, and as some of our brethren in the country give out a verse or two, while they are administering the ordinance, it is hoped these single verses will be acceptable."

In the American Baptist Hymn [and Tune] Book, Philadelphia, 1871, stanzas iii., iv. and vi. are given as "Behold the grave where Jesus lay." The same arrangement with the addition of stanza vii. had previously appeared in the Baptist edition of the Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Julian's numbering and attribution are incorrect. Rippon lists the author before the hymn throughout his book. Also, Julian says nos. 2 and 11 are by Stennett; Stennett wrote no. 3, Beddome no. 2; and Stennett wrote no. 12, not 11. Rippon numbers these one-stanza hymns on baptism as Hymns 455–467:
1. Hymn 455 – Whate'er to thee, our Lord, belongs – unattributed, possibly by Rippon
2. Hymn 456 – Hosanna to the church's head – Beddome
3. Hymn 457 – Behold the grave where Jesus lay – Stennett
4. Hymn 458 – Come, ye redeemed of the Lord – Beddome
5. Hymn 459 – We to this place are come to show – Beddome
6. Hymn 460 – Eternal Spirit, heavenly Dove – Beddome
7. Hymn 461 – All ye that love Immanuel's name – unattributed, possibly by Rippon
8. Hymn 462 – Ye, who your native vileness mourn – H. F.
9. Hymn 463 – Jesus, my Savior and my all – H. F.
10. Hymn 464 – Amazing grace! and shall I still – H. F.
11. Hymn 465 – Apostles trod this holy ground – H.
12. Hymn 466 – With lowly minds and lofty songs – Stennett
13. Hymn 467 – To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, We humbly dedicate – G.

--Barry Johnston, 2020

Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 18 of 18)
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A New Selection of Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs #367

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A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors. #455

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Baptist Hymn Book #a796

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Dupuy's Hymns and Spiritual Songs (Rev. corr. and enl.) #184

Hymns and Spiritual Songs, Selected and Original. 7th ed. #d478

Old School Sonnets, or a Selection of Choice Hymns #d291

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The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book #934

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The Baptist Hymn Book #1131

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The Baptist Hymn Book #796

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The Baptist Psalmody #910a

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The Boston Collection of Sacred and Devotional Hymns #74

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The Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts #1173

The Sacred Lute #d374

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A Selection of Hymns #CDLV

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