Scripture Verse

Let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:3

Introduction

portrait
Brian Wren (1936–)

Words: Bri­an Wren, 1987.

Music: West­chase Carl­ton R. Young, 1987 (🔊 pdf nwc).

portrait
Carlton R. Young
1926–

Lyrics

Bring many names, beau­ti­ful and good,
Celebrate, in pa­ra­ble and sto­ry,
Holiness in glo­ry, liv­ing, lov­ing God.
Hail and Ho­san­na! Bring ma­ny names!

Strong mo­ther God, work­ing night and day,
Planning all the won­ders of cre­ation,
Setting each equa­tion, ge­ni­us at play:
Hail and Ho­san­na, strong mo­ther God!

Warm fa­ther God, hug­ging ev­ery child,
Feeling all the strains of hu­man liv­ing,
Caring and for­giv­ing, till we’re re­con­ciled:
Hail and Ho­san­na, warm fa­ther God!

Old, ach­ing God, grey with end­less care,
Calmly pierc­ing ev­il’s new dis­guis­es,
Glad of good sur­pris­es, wis­er than des­pair:
Hail and Ho­san­na, old, ach­ing God!

Young, grow­ing God, ea­ger, on the move,
Saying no to false­hood and un­kind­ness,
Crying out for jus­ti­ce, giv­ing all you have:
Hail and Ho­san­na, young, grow­ing God!

Great, liv­ing God, ne­ver ful­ly known,
Joyful dark­ness far be­yond our see­ing,
Closer yet than breath­ing, ev­er­last­ing home:
Hail and Ho­san­na, great, liv­ing God!