Oh More Than Merciful

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Oh more than merciful! whose bounty gave

Author: Reginald Heber
Tune: YORKSHIRE
Published in 1 hymnal

Printable scores: PDF, Noteworthy Composer
Audio files: MIDI

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	The David Cherwien Hymn Interpretation S…

Representative Text

1 Oh more than merciful! whose bounty gave
Thy guiltless self to glut the greedy grave!
Whose heart was rent to pay Thy people’s price;
The great high priest at once and sacrifice!
Help, Savior, by Thy cross and crimson stain,
Nor let Thy glorious blood be spilt in vain!

2 When sin with flowery garland hides her dart,
When tyrant force would daunt the sinking heart,
When fleshly lust assails, or worldly care,
Or the soul flutters in the flower’s snare—
Help, Savior, by Thy cross and crimson stain,
Nor let Thy glorious blood be spilt in vain!

3 And, chiefest then, when nature yields the strife,
And mortal darkness wraps the gate of life;
When the poor spirit, from the tomb set free,
Sinks at Thy feet and lifts its hope to Thee—
Help, Savior, by Thy cross and crimson stain,
Nor let Thy glorious blood be spilt in vain!

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #10961

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Author: Reginald Heber

Reginald Heber was born in 1783 into a wealthy, educated family. He was a bright youth, translating a Latin classic into English verse by the time he was seven, entering Oxford at 17, and winning two awards for his poetry during his time there. After his graduation he became rector of his father's church in the village of Hodnet near Shrewsbury in the west of England where he remained for 16 years. He was appointed Bishop of Calcutta in 1823 and worked tirelessly for three years until the weather and travel took its toll on his health and he died of a stroke. Most of his 57 hymns, which include "Holy, Holy, Holy," are still in use today. -- Greg Scheer, 1995… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Oh more than merciful! whose bounty gave
Title:	Oh More Than Merciful
Author:	Reginald Heber
Meter:	10.10.10.10.10.10
Source:	Published posthumously in Hymns Written and Adapted to the Weekly Church Service of the Year (London: J. Murray, 1827)
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Tune

YORKSHIRE

John Wainwright (b. Stockport, England, 1723; d. Stockport, 1768) wrote YORKSHIRE for [the] text [Christian's awake, salute the happy morn, by John Byrom] in 1750. The tune was first sung on Christmas Day, 1750, in the parish church of Stockport; it was first published in Caleb Ashworth's Collection…

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