Scripture Verse

I am the almighty God. Genesis 17:1

Introduction

Words: Anne Steele, Poe­ms on Sub­jects Chief­ly De­vo­tion­al 1760.

Music: Shep­ham Tho­mas S. Du­puis (1733–1796) (🔊 pdf nwc).

If you know where to get a good pic­ture of Steele (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Thomas S. Dupuis
1733–1796

Lyrics

Eternal power, al­migh­ty God,
Who can ap­proach Thy throne?
Accessless light is Thy abode,
To an­gel eyes un­known.

Before the ra­di­ance of Thine eye,
The heav’ns no long­er shine;
And all the glo­ries of the sky
Are but the shade of Thine.

Great God, and wilt Thou con­des­cend
To cast a look be­low,
To this vile world Thy no­tice bend,
These seats of sin and woe?

But oh! to show Thy smil­ing face,
To bring Thy glo­ries near—
Amazing and trans­port­ing grace
To dwell with mor­tals here!

How strange! how aw­ful is Thy love!
With trem­bling we ad­ore:
Not all th’ex­alt­ed minds above
Its won­ders can ex­plore.

While gold­en harps, and an­gel tongues
Resound im­mor­tal lays,
Great God, per­mit our hum­ble songs
To rise and mean Thy praise.