Scripture Verse

God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

Introduction

portrait
Isaac Watts (1674–1748)

Words: Is­aac Watts, Hymns and Spi­ri­tu­al Songs, Book 1, 1707, num­ber 136. Sin­cer­i­ty and hy­po­cri­sy; or, For­mal­i­ty in wor­ship.

Music: Ar­me­nia Syl­van­us B. Pond, in The Mu­sic­al Mis­cel­la­ny, ed­it­ed by Tho­mas Hast­ings & Ez­ra Col­lier (New York: 1836) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tunes:

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

Lyrics

God is a Spi­rit, just and wise
He sees our inmost mind;
In vain to Heav’n we raise our cries,
And leave our souls behind.

Nothing but truth before His throne
With honor can appear;
The painted hypocrites are known
Through the disguise they wear.

Their lifted eyes salute the skies,
Their bended knees the ground;
But God abhors the sacrifice
Where not the heart is found.

Lord, search my thoughts, and try my ways,
And make my soul sincere;
Then shall I stand before Thy face,
And find acceptance there.