What Joy It Is to Praise Our God

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What joy it is to praise our God

Author: Mary Nelson Keithahn (2004)
Tune: MODERN SAINTS
Published in 1 hymnal

Representative Text

1 What joy it is to praise our God
with instruments and voice,
and name the countless reasons that
God gives us to rejoice,
yet some find other ways to show
a grateful, loving heart.
Thanksgiving is their way of life,
and praise is just the start.

2 A statesman gladly hammers out
his praise in building homes;
a mission mother cares for those
who thought they’d die alone.
A preacher leads a freedom march,
a lawyer aids a child;
a bishop helps men face the truth
and all are reconciled.

3 God, in the best and worst of times,
you bless us many ways.
Give us a sense of gratitude
that goes beyond mere praise.
Like faithful leaders that we know,
may we each find a role
where we can share love’s healing balm
and make the wounded whole.

Source: Faith That Lets Us Sing: fifty new hymns and short worship songs #84

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Author: Mary Nelson Keithahn

Mary Nelson Keithahn, a retired United Church of Christ ordained pastor and church educator, has been a curriculum writer-editor, journalist, and lyricist for musical dramas and anthems. She still works out of her home in Rapid City, South Dakota, as a free-lance writer. In 2016 she published Elfie: Adventures on the Midwest Frontier, a chapter book for children, and Embracing the Light: Reflectioins on God’s Holy Word, a collection of meditations for individual or small group use. Augsburg Fortress also published Sing the Stories of God’s NEW People, the third in a trilogy of Bible story-based collections of songs for young children, written with her longtime colleague, John D. Horman. The two have written over a hundred hymns togethe… Go to person page >

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First Line:	What joy it is to praise our God
Title:	What Joy It Is to Praise Our God
Author:	Mary Nelson Keithahn (2004)
Meter:	8.6.8.6 D
Language:	English
Publication Date:	2017
Copyright:	© 2017 Wayne Leupold Editions, Inc.