1 God is a spirit, great and just;
We His dependent creatures are:
His pleasure called us from the dust;
His goodness keeps us, and His care.
2 He dwells enthroned in light on high;
He lives throughout the boundless whole;
Invisible to mortal eye,
Unsearchable by human soul.
3 To feeble man ’twas never giv’n
The great mysterious One to know,
To scan the majesty of Heav’n,
Or make His essence known below.
4 Enough for us, His sovereign Word
Reveals Him as the God of love,
The just, the ever gracious Lord,
Who can but righteousness approve.
5 Unfolds His blissful Heav’n above,
And glory for His children there;
While those who slight His offered love
Shall sink to darkness and despair.
6 There, also, is enough revealed,
To guide us in the way we go;
And what His wisdom has concealed
Might be but misery to know.
7 O, then adore th’eternal Mind
With wonder, gratitude, and fear;
Nor seek what man may never find,
The knowledge of His essence here.
Source: The Cyber Hymnal #9984
Henry Ware was born in Hingham, Massachusetts, in 1793. His father was a Unitarian minister; afterwards a Professor in Harvard College. Young Ware graduated at Harvard, studied theology, and became minister of the Second Unitarian Society, in Boston, in 1817. After a ministry of twelve years, he made a foreign tour, and on his return was elected "Parkman Professor of Pulpit Eloquence and Pastoral Theology" in Harvard College. In this position he obtained eminence. He died in September, 1843. His collected works in four volumes, were edited after his death, by the Rev. Chandler Robbins.
--Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872… Go to person page >
My Starred Hymns
My FlexScores
My Hymnals
My Purchased Files