God of ages and of nations › Representative Texts

1 God of ag­es and of na­tions!
Every race, and ev­ery time,
Hath re­ceived Thine in­spir­ations,
Glimpses of Thy truth sublime.
Ever spir­its in rapt vi­sion
Passed the heav­en­ly veil with­in,
Ever hearts bowed in con­tri­tion
Found sal­va­tion from their sin.

2 Reason’s no­ble as­pir­ation
Truth in grow­ing clear­ness saw;
Conscience spoke its con­dem­na­tion,
Or pro­claimed the eter­nal law.
While Thine in­ward re­ve­la­tions
Told Thy saints their pray­ers were heard.
Prophets to the guil­ty na­tions
Spoke Thine ev­er­last­ing word.

3 Lord, that word ab­ld­eth ev­er;
Revelation is not sealed;
Answering un­to man’s en­dea­vor,
Truth and right are still re­vealed.
That which came to an­cient sag­es,
Greek, bar­barian, Ro­man, Jew,
Written in the heart’s deep pag­es,
Shines to-day, forever new!


The Cyber Hymnal #16612