Scripture Verse

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Introduction

portrait
Joseph Summers
1839–1917

Words: Jo­si­ah Con­der, The Con­gre­ga­tion­al Hymn Book 1836.

Music: Pal­my­ra Jo­seph Sum­mers, 1863 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Josiah Conder (1789–1855)

Lyrics

Thou art the ev­er­last­ing Word,
The Fa­ther’s only Son;
God ma­ni­fest­ly seen and heard,
And Heav’n’s be­lov­èd one:

Refrain

Worthy, O Lamb of God, art Thou
That ev­ery knee to Thee should bow.

In Thee most per­fect­ly ex­pressed
The Fa­ther’s glo­ries shine;
Of the full de­ity pos­sessed,
Eternally di­vine:

Refrain

True ima­ge of the In­fi­nite,
Whose es­sence is con­cealed;
Brightness of un­cre­at­ed light;
The heart of God re­vealed:

Refrain

But the high mys­ter­ies of Thy name
An an­gel’s grasp trans­cend;
The Fa­ther on­ly—glo­ri­ous claim!—
The Son can com­pre­hend:

Refrain

Throughout the uni­verse of bliss,
The cen­ter Thou, and sun;
Th’eter­nal theme of praise of this,
To Heav’n’s be­lov­èd One:

Refrain