1 Glory to God, and praise and love
be ever, ever given,
by saints below and saints above,
the church in earth and heaven.
2 On this glad day the glorious Sun
of Righteousness arose;
on my benighted soul he shone
and filled it with repose.
3 Sudden expired the legal strife,
'twas then I ceased to grieve;
my second, real, living life
I then began to live.
4 Then with my heart I first believed,
believed with faith divine,
power with the Holy Ghost received
to call the Savior mine.
5 I felt my Lord's atoning blood
close to my soul applied;
me, me he loved, the Son ofGod,
for me, for me he died!
6 I found and owned his promise true,
ascertained of my part,
my pardon passed in heaven I knew
when written on my heart.
7 O for a thousand tongues to sing
my dear Redeemer's praise!
The glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace.
8 My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
to spread through all the earth abroad
the honors of thy name.
9 Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease;
'tis music in the sinner's ears,
'tis life, and health, and peace!
10 He breaks the power of canceled sin,
he sets the prisoner free;
his blood can make the foulest clean;
his blood availed for me.
11 He speaks, and listening to his voice
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.
12 Hear him, ye deaf, his praise, ye dumb,
your loosened tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Savior come,
and leap, ye lame, for joy.
13 Look unto him, ye nations, own
your God, ye fallen race!
Look, and be saved through faith alone,
be justified by grace!
14 See all your sins on Jesus laid;
the Lamb of God was slain,
his soul was once an offering made
for every soul of man.
15 Harlots and publicans and thieves,
in holy triumph join!
Saved is the sinner that believes
from crimes as great as mine.
16 Murderers and all ye hellish crew,
ye sons of lust and pride,
believe the Savior died for you;
for me the Savior died.
17 With me, your chief, you then shall know,
shall feel your sins forgiven;
anticipate your heaven below
and own that love is heaven.
Source: The United Methodist Hymnal #58b
First Line: | Glory to God, and praise and love |
Title: | Glory to God, and Praise and Love |
Author: | Charles Wesley (1739) |
Language: | English |
Glory to God, and praise and love. C. Wesley. [Praise for Salvation.] Written by C. Wesley on the first anniversary of the great spiritual change which he underwent on Sunday, May 21,1738, details of which are given under that date in his Journal. In 1740 it was included in Hymns and Sacred Poems, in 18 stanzas of 4 lines, and headed, "For the Anniversary Day of one's Conversion." (Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. i. p. 299.) One of the first to make use of the hymn for congregational purposes was R. Conyers, who gave a cento therefrom in his Psalms & Hymns, 1767, beginning, "O for a thousand tongues to sing," and consisting of stanzas vii., ix.-xii. This was followed by other centos (all beginning with the same stanza), in the collections of De Courcy, 1775; Toplady, 1776; and many others. The most widely known cento is that by J. Wesley, in the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 1, in 10 stanzas, "O for a thousand tongues to sing." This is not only the opening hymn of the Wesleyan Hymn Book, but also of most collections of the Methodist bodies in all English-speaking countries. To this cause much of its popularity may be traced. Stevenson's annotations thereon in his Methodist Hymn Book Notes, 1883, are of more than usual interest. Another cento, "Look unto Christ, ye nations; own," is in the American Methodist Episcopal Hymns, 1849.
The opening line of the cento, "O for a thousand tongues to sing," is supposed to have had its origin in an expression of Peter Bohler, the Moravian, who, when consulted by C. Wesley about praising Christ, replied, "Had I a thousand tongues, I would praise Him with them all." The well-known line, "He breaks the power of cancelled sin," has given offence to a few, from the Taylor and Jones Psalms & Hymns, London, 1777, where it read, "He breaks the power of death and sin," to the American Manual of Praise, Oberlin, Ohio, 1880, where it reads, "He breaks the power of reigning sin." These changes, however, are limited in their use, the original text being usually retained.
--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)