God, You Have Given Us Power To Sound

Representative Text

1 God, You have given us power to sound
depths hitherto unknown;
to probe earth's hidden mysteries,
and make their might our own;

2 Great are Your gifts; yet greater far
this gift, O God, bestow,
that as to knowledge we attain
we may in wisdom grow.

3 Let wisdom's godly fear dispel
all fears that hate impart;
give understanding to the mind
and with new mind new heart.

4 So for Your glory and our good
may we Your gifts employ,
lest, maddened by the lust of power,
we shall ourselves destroy.

Source: The Irish Presbyterian Hymbook #593

Author: George W. Briggs

George Wallace Briggs is a Canon of Worcester Cathedral and one of the most distinguished British hymn writers and hymnologists of today. Six of his hymns appear in the Episcopal Hymnal of 1940 (American). Another hymn on the Bible entitled "Word of the living God" was written for the 25th Anniversary of the British Bible Reading Fellowship and was sung in Westminster Abbey on June 5, 1947. It has been widely used since that time. Canon Briggs is a leading member of the Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland. He is also the composer of several hymn times, six of which have appeared in British hymnals. In addition to his work as a clergy man of the Church of England and an hymnologist, he has interest himself actively in the field of reli… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: God, you have given us power to sound
Title: God, You Have Given Us Power To Sound
Author: George W. Briggs (1945)
Meter: 8.6.8.6
Language: English
Copyright: © Oxford University Press

Tune

BANGOR (Tansur)

Traditionally used for Montgomery's text and for Peter Abelard's "Alone Thou Goest Forth, O Lord," BANGOR comes from William Tans'ur's A Compleat Melody: or the Harmony of Syon (the preface of which is dated 1734). In that collection the tune was a three-part setting for Psalm 12 (and for Psalm 11 i…

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SPRINGDALE


CULROSS


Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 7 of 7)

Hymns Ancient and Modern, New Standard Edition #469

Hymns and Psalms #345

Rejoice in the Lord #26

The Hymnal 1982 #584

Page Scan

Common Praise #256a

AudioPage Scan

Common Praise #256b

Text

The Irish Presbyterian Hymbook #593

Include 2 pre-1979 instances
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