The Promised Rest

Representative Text

1 God of all power, and truth, and grace,
which shall from age to age endure,
whose word, when heaven and earth shall pass,
remains and stands for ever sure;

2 That I thy mercy may proclaim,
that all mankind thy truth may see,
hallow thy great and glorious name,
and perfect holiness in me.

3 Thy sanctifying Spirit pour
to quench my thirst and make me clean;
now, Father, let the gracious shower
descend, and make me pure from sin.

4 Give me a new, a perfect heart,
from doubt, and fear, and sorrow free;
the mind which was in Christ impart,
and let my spirit cleave to thee.

5 O that I now, from sin released,
thy word may to the utmost prove,
enter into the promised rest,
the Canaan of thy perfect love!

Source: Common Praise: A new edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern #446

Author: Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley, M.A. was the great hymn-writer of the Wesley family, perhaps, taking quantity and quality into consideration, the great hymn-writer of all ages. Charles Wesley was the youngest son and 18th child of Samuel and Susanna Wesley, and was born at Epworth Rectory, Dec. 18, 1707. In 1716 he went to Westminster School, being provided with a home and board by his elder brother Samuel, then usher at the school, until 1721, when he was elected King's Scholar, and as such received his board and education free. In 1726 Charles Wesley was elected to a Westminster studentship at Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1729, and became a college tutor. In the early part of the same year his religious impressions were much deepene… Go to person page >

Notes

God of all power, and truth, and grace. C. Wesley. [Holiness desired.] Published in Hymns & Sacred Poems, 1742, in 28 stanzas of 4 lines, based on Ezekiel xxxvi. 13, &c, and headed, "Pleading the Promise of Sanctification" (Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. ii. p. 319). It was also appended to J. Wesley's Sermon No. 40, and to J. Fletcher's Last Check to Antinomianism. It deals with the doctrine of Sanctification from the Methodist point of view. From the 1742 text the following centos have come into common use:—
1. God of all power, and truth, and grace. In the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 330, and later editions, is composed of stanzas i., iii., vi.-ix. and xiv. This was given in Hall's Mitre Hymn Book, 1836, No. 211, in an abbreviated form, as "0 Thou, Whose mercy, truth, and love." This arrangement was by E. Osier, and is a distinct hymn from Osier's "0 God, Whose mercy, truth, and love," which appeared in his Church and King, March, 1837, although in the latter he has borrowed a line or two from the former. [HALL Manuscript]
2. Father, supply my every need. In the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 380, Pt. ii. is composed of stanzas xix.-xxii. It is also in other collections.
3. Holy, and true, and righteous Lord. In the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 381 is composed of stanzas xxiii., xxvi.-xxviii. This is also in other collections.
All of these centos are in common use in Great Britain and America.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Tune

OMBERSLEY


VOM HIMMEL HOCH

Initially Luther used the folk melody associated with his first stanza as the tune for this hymn. Later he composed this new tune for his text. VOM HIMMEL HOCH was first published in Valentin Schumann's Geistliche Lieder in 1539. Johann S. Bach (PHH 7) used Luther's melody in three places in his wel…

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Timeline

Media

The Cyber Hymnal #1691
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The Cyber Hymnal #9072
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Instances

Instances (1 - 7 of 7)

Singing the Faith #498b

TextPage Scan

Common Praise #446

Hymns and Psalms #726

Singing the Faith #498a

Text

Together in Song #567

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #9072

TextScoreAudio

The Cyber Hymnal #1691

Include 63 pre-1979 instances
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