God of my salvation, hear

Author: Charles Wesley

God of my salvation, hear. C. Wesley. [Lent] . Published in Hymns & Sacred Poems, 1742, in 8 stanzas of 8 lines, and headed, "After a relapse into sin" ( Poetical Works, 1868-72, vol. ii. p. 200). In its full form it is unknown to the collections, but the following centos are in common use:—
1. In Madan's Psalm & Hymns, 1760, stanzas i., iv. v., are given as No. 10. This is repeated with slight alterations in the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge Hymns, 1852, and other collections. It was also in R. Conyers's Collection, 1767, and several of the older hymn-books.
2. Toplady's cento in his Psalms & Hymns, 1776, No. 354, of which stanzas iii. and vii. are by Toplady, is not in modern use.
3. Bickersteth's Christian Psalmody, 1833, No. 160, is composed of stanzas i., ii., iv., vi., with slight alterations. This is repeated in the Hymnal Companion with a return to the original text.
4. Mercer's Church Psalter & Hymn Book 1855, consists of stanzas i., ii., iv., vi., viii.
5. Dr. Hatfield's Church Hymn Book, N.Y., 1872, No. 639, embodies stanzas i., ii., iv.
6. The Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780, No. 168 (new edition 1875, No. 175), is composed of stanzas i., ii., iv., vi., viii. This cento has passed into several Methodist collections.
This somewhat large number of centos (and the most important only have been named) indicate the extensive use which has been made of the hymn from Madan to the present. Of these centos that in the Wesleyan Hymn Book is the best known.

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

Page Scans

The Liturgy and the Office of Worship and Hymns of the American Province of the Unitas Fratrum, or the Moravian Church (1908), p.580