1 Be joyful in God, all ye lands of the earth;
O serve Him with gladness and fear!
Exult in His presence with music and mirth,
With love and devotion draw near.
2 Jehovah is God, and Jehovah alone,
Creator and Ruler o'er all;
And we are His people, His sceptre we own,
His sheep, and we follow His call.
3 O enter His gates with thanksgiving and song!
Your vows in His temple proclaim;
His praise with melodious accordance prolong,
And bless His adorable name.
4 For good is the Lord, inexpressibly good,
And we are the work of His hand;
His mercy and truth from eternity stood,
And shall to eternity stand.
Source: Methodist Hymn and Tune Book: official hymn book of the Methodist Church #235
First Line: | Be joyful in God, all ye lands of the earth |
Title: | Be Joyful |
Author: | James Montgomery |
Language: | English |
Copyright: | Public Domain |
Be joyful in God, all ye lands of the earth. J. Montgomery. [Ps. c.] Published in his Songs of Zion, 1822, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, and in his Poetical Works, 1828 and 1846; but omitted from his Original Hymns, 1853. It is not in common use in Great Britain; but in America, from its appearance in the Prayer Book Collection, 1826, to the present, it has been included in numerous hymnals throughout the States. Original text in the American Baptist Praise Book, N. Y., 1871, No. 255.
-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)