O God of love, O King of peace

Representative Text

1 O God of love, O King of peace,
Make wars throughout the world to cease;
Our greed and violent ways restrain.
Give peace, O God, give peace again.

2 Remember, Lord, your works of old,
The wonders that your people told;
Remember not our sins' deep stain.
Give peace, O God, give peace again.

3 Whom shall we trust but you, O Lord?
Where rest but on your faithful word?
None ever called on you in vain.
Give peace, O God, give peace again.

4 Where saints and angels dwell above
All hearts are joined in holy love;
Oh, bind us in that heav'nly chain.
Give peace, O God, give peace again.

Source: RitualSong (2nd ed.) #910

Author: H. W. Baker

Baker, Sir Henry Williams, Bart., eldest son of Admiral Sir Henry Loraine Baker, born in London, May 27, 1821, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated, B.A. 1844, M.A. 1847. Taking Holy Orders in 1844, he became, in 1851, Vicar of Monkland, Herefordshire. This benefice he held to his death, on Monday, Feb. 12, 1877. He succeeded to the Baronetcy in 1851. Sir Henry's name is intimately associated with hymnody. One of his earliest compositions was the very beautiful hymn, "Oh! what if we are Christ's," which he contributed to Murray's Hymnal for the Use of the English Church, 1852. His hymns, including metrical litanies and translations, number in the revised edition of Hymns Ancient & Modern, 33 in all. These were cont… Go to person page >

Notes

Scripture References:
st. 1 = Ps. 46:9, Isa. 2:4, Mic. 4:3
st. 2 = Ps. 78:3-4
ref. = Ps. 29: 11

Written by Henry W. Baker (PHH 342) and entitled "The Lord Shall Give His People the Blessing of Peace," this text was published in the 1861 edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern. Baker was chairman of the committee that prepared this landmark hymnal. The Psalter Hymnal omits the original fourth stanza.

Because the sin of war is always present in our world, this profound prayer for peace or shalom is continuously relevant. As we sing, we pray for a cease-fire among hostile peoples, for reconciliation among warring factions (st. 1). But it is only because of God's faithfulness and mercy, his "works of old," and not from human efforts that true peace will come (st. 2). Like the Old Testament psalms that affirm God's saving deeds, this text testifies that only God can be trusted to provide a lasting peace (st. 3). "O God of Love" has an unforgettable litany refrain, "Give peace, O God, give peace again!"

Liturgical Use:
Because war, revolution, strife, and the spirit of contention are rampant in our world and because the Christian church should be engaged in peace efforts and prayers for peace, this hymn is appropriate for many occasions of worship.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook
================
O God of love, O King of Peace. Sir H. W. Baker. [In Time of Trouble.] Written for and first published in Hymns Ancient & Modern, 1861. It has been repeated in several collections. In Alford's Year of Praise, 1867, it is attributed to "Cowper" in error.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

QUEBEC (Baker)

Henry Baker (b. Nuneham, Oxfordshire, England, 1835; d. Wimbledon, England, 1910; not to be confused with Henry W. Baker) was educated as a civil engineer at Winchester and Cooper's Hill and was active in railroad building in India. In 1867 he completed a music degree at Exeter College, Oxford, Engl…

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