God's glory is a wondrous thing

Representative Text

1. God’s glory is a wondrous thing,
Most strange in all its ways;
And, of all things on earth, least like
What men agree to praise.

2. Workman of God, O lose not heart,
But learn what God is like!
And, in the darkest battlefield,
Thou shalt know where to strike.

3. O blest is he to whom is given
The instinct that can tell
That God is on the field when He
Is most invisible!

4. Blest too is he who can divine
Where real right doth lie,
And dares to take the side that seems
Wrong to man’s blindfold eye.

5. For right is right, since God is God;
And right the day must win;
To doubt would be disloyalty,
To falter would be sin.

Source: The Cyber Hymnal #1909

All representative texts • Compare texts ^ top

Author: Frederick W. Faber

Raised in the Church of England, Frederick W. Faber (b. Calverly, Yorkshire, England, 1814; d. Kensington, London, England, 1863) came from a Huguenot and strict Calvinistic family background. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, and ordained in the Church of England in 1839. Influenced by the teaching of John Henry Newman, Faber followed Newman into the Roman Catholic Church in 1845 and served under Newman's supervision in the Oratory of St. Philip Neri. Because he believed that Roman Catholics should sing hymns like those written by John Newton, Charles Wesley, and William Cowpe, Faber wrote 150 hymns himself. One of his best known, "Faith of Our Fathers," originally had these words in its third stanza: "Faith of Our Fathers! Mary'… Go to person page >

^ top

First Line:	God's glory is a wondrous thing
Author:	Frederick W. Faber
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

Romans 8:31
(hymns)

^ top

Tune

ST. STEPHEN (Jones)

FARRANT

CORONATION (Holden)

Like MILES LANE (470), CORONATION was written for this text. Oliver Holden (b. Shirley, MA, 1765; d. Charlestown, MA, 1844) composed the tune in four parts with a duet in the third phrase. The tune, whose title comes from the theme of Perronet's text, was published in Holden's Union Harmony (1793).…

Go to tune page >

All tunes published with 'God's glory is a wondrous thing'^ top

Timeline

^ top

Arrangements

Store

Piano/Organ A Mighty Fortress: Seven Hymn Preludes for Organ All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name EIGHT HANDS IN PRAISE More Piano/Organ...
Choral Three Festive Hymn Settings More Choral...
Instrumental All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name Risen in Glory! More Instrumental...
Handbells Crown Him Lord of All Raise Your Joys and Triumphs High Raise Your Joys and Triumphs High More Handbells...