Common Praise ‎#466

466. How shall I sing that majesty

1 How shall I sing that majesty
which angels do admire?
Let dust in dust and silence lie;
sing, sing, ye heavenly choir.
Thousands of thousands stand around
thy throne, O God most high;
ten thousand times ten thousand sound
thy praise; but who am I?

2 Thy brightness unto them appears,
whilst I thy footsteps trace;
a sound of God comes to my ears,
but they behold thy face:
I shall, I fear, be dark and cold,
with all my fire and light;
yet when thou dost accept their gold,
Lord, treasure up my mite.

3 Enlighten with faith's light my heart,
inflame it with love's fire;
then shall I sing and bear a part
with that celestial choir.
They sing, because thou art their sun;
Lord, send a beam on me;
for where heaven is but once begun
there alleluias be.

4 How great a being, Lord, is thine,
which doth all beings keep!
Thy knowledge is the only line
to sound so vast a deep:
thou art a sea without a shore,
a sun without a sphere;
thy time is now and evermore,
thy place is everywhere.

Text Information

• First Line: How shall I sing that majesty
• Author: John Mason, 1646-1694 (alt.)
• Meter: DCM
• Language: English
• Publication Date: 2000
• Scripture:
  Habakkuk 2:20
  ;
  Job 26:14
  ;
  Psalm 77:19
  ;
  Psalm 90:1-2
  ;
  Psalm 139:7-10
  ;
  Revelation 5:11-12
  ;
  Zechariah 2:13
• Topic: St. Michael and All Angels

Tune Information

• Name: COE FEN
• Composer: Ken Naylor, 1931-1991
• Meter: DCM
• Key: E♭ Major
• Copyright: © Oxford University Press