Scripture Verse

Bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of His praise to be heard. Psalm 66:8

Introduction

Words: Ano­ny­mous, 1808. Orig­in­al first line: Great God, our in­fant voic­es raise.

Music: Al­pha, in the Sab­bath School Me­lo­dist, ed­it­ed by Will­iam Byrnes (Bos­ton: Mas­sa­chu­setts Sab­bath School So­cie­ty, 1850), num­ber 1 (🔊 pdf nwc).

Pub[lished] ano­ny­mous­ly in Row­land Hill’s Hys. for the Use of S. Schools, 1808, in 4 sts. of 6 l. The hymn was de­signed to be sung by child­ren, the con­gre­ga­tion tak­ing st. iv. as a cho­rus. In the Bris­tol S. S. H. Bk., 1812, that st. was omit­ted, and has not since been re­stored. In Stow­ell’s Man­ches­ter Sel., 1831, No. 156, the op­en­ing line of the hymn be­gins, Great God, our voice to Thee we raise, and in one or two other hymn-books the first line is again al­tered to Great God, our youth­ful voices raise.

Julian, p. 453

Lyrics

Great God! our voice to Thee we raise
Tune Thou our lips and hearts with praise,
Thy goodness to adore:
Our life, our health, and every friend,
From Thee arise—on Thee depend,
Kind Fa­ther of the poor.

Stretch o’er our heads Thy guardian wings,
Secure the weak, O King of kings!
Our shield and refuge be:
Thy Spi­rit, Lord, conduct our youth,
Thro’ Christ, the life, the way, the truth,
That we may come to Thee!

While friends their generous aid afford,
Accept the kind intention, Lord,
And crown it with Thy love;
Then joy shall tune our humble songs,
Till we shall join immortal tongues
In nobler praise above.

Lord, let this work of love
Be crowned with full success!
Let thousands, yet unborn,
Thy sacred name here bless!
To Thee, O Lord, all praise to Thee
We’ll raise throughout eternity.