In God the Father I Believe

Versifier: Frank DeVries

• Text Information
• Lectionary Weeks
• Scripture References

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Gen. 1: 1, Matt. 1:20-21
st. 2 = Mark 15-16, Luke 24:51, Eph. 1 :20, Phil. 3:21
st. 4 = 1 Cor. 12:4-7, 12-13, John 14:16-17

There are two musical settings of the Apostles' Creed in the Psalter Hymnal: this versification in meter and a prose setting (519). The full text of this ancient creed appears in the Psalter Hymnal on page 813 with a footnote about its "sublime simplicity, unsurpassable brevity, beautiful order, and liturgical solemnity." The Apostles' Creed is also explained in Lord's Days 8-22 of the Heidelberg Catechism.

Frank De Vries (b. Langsa, Sumatra, Indonesia, 1929) wrote this versification of the creed in Houston, British Columbia, Canada, in 1969 after Christian Reformed Church minister Mel Pool suggested that the creed should be sung as well as spoken. De Vries also composed a tune for his text; both were published in Vancouver, British Columbia, in a Shalom Productions booklet, “Believe It, Or…” (1972) and in the second printing of the Psalter Hymnal Supplement (1976).

The four stanzas of "In God the Father" adhere closely to the text of the Apostles' Creed. That fact and the buoyant musical setting undoubtedly account for the hymn's popularity in the Christian Reformed Church and its acceptance in other denominations. A Christian school educator, De Vries served for many years as a principal in several Canadian schools, including fourteen years (1970-1984) as principal of Vancouver Christian School. He has written a number of songs, some of which were published in Tiny Little Spider (1976).

Liturgical Use:
Singing or speaking one of the ancient confessions of faith has been a regular ingredient of public worship since the days of the early church. The Apostles' Creed was historically associated with baptism, the Nicene Creed with the Lord's Supper. The traditional place in historic Christian worship for reciting both creeds was after hearing God's Word–the creed then becomes our response of faith.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

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Hymn Instance Lift Up Your Hearts:... #782

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