Scripture Verse

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

Introduction

portrait
Philip Doddridge
1702–1751

Words: Phi­lip Dodd­ridge, Sep­tem­ber 23, 1739. Dodd­ridge wrote this hymn for use in his own church. It was pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Found­ed on Va­ri­ous Texts in the Ho­ly Scrip­tures, by Job Or­ton (Shrop­shire, Eng­land: Jo­shua Ed­dowes & John Cot­ton, 1755), num­ber 275: The Gos­pel trea­sure in earth­en ves­sels.

Music: St. Ga­bri­el (Great­or­ex) Hen­ry W. Great­or­ex (1813–1858) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

  • Aberdeen pos­si­bly by An­drew Tait, 1749 (🔊 pdf nwc)

If you know when the mu­sic was writ­ten, or where to get a good pic­ture of Great­or­ex (head-and-shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

Lyrics

How rich Thy bounty, King of kings!
Thy favors how divine!
The blessings which Thy Gospel brings,
How splendidly they shine!

Gold is but dross, and gems but toys,
Should gold and gems compare;
How mean, when set against those joys
Thy poorest servants share!

Yet all these treasures of Thy grace
Are lodged in urns of clay;
And the weak sons of mortal race
Th’immortal gifts convey.

Feebly they lisp Thy glories forth;
Yet grace the victory gives;
Quickly they molder back to earth,
Yet still Thy Gospel lives.

Such wonders power divine effects;
Such trophies God can raise;
His hand from crumbling dust erects
His monuments of praise.