Scripture Verse

Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly. Exodus 19:18

Introduction

illustration
Mount Sinai

Words: Re­gi­nald He­ber (1783–1826). Pub­lished post­hu­mous­ly in Hymns Writ­ten and Adapt­ed to the Week­ly Church Ser­vice of the Year (Lon­don: J. Mur­ray, 1827), pag­es 57–58.

Music: Si­nai (Per­rot) Cle­ment H. Per­rot (1842–1910) (🔊 pdf nwc).

Alternate Tune:

If you know when the mu­sic was writ­ten, or where to get a good pho­to of Per­rot (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),

portrait
Reginald Heber
1783–1826

Lyrics

The Lord of might, from Sinai’s brow,
Gave forth His voice of thunder;
And Israel lay on earth below,
Outstretched in fear and wonder.
Beneath His feet was pitchy night,
And at His left hand and His right,
The rocks were rent asunder!

The Lord of love, on Calvary,
A meek and suffering stranger,
Upraised to Heaven His languid eye,
In nature’s hour of danger.
For us He bore the weight of woe,
For us He gave His blood to flow,
And met His Father’s anger.

The Lord of love, the Lord of might,
The King of all created,
Shall back return to claim His right,
On clouds of glory seated;
With trumpet sound and angel song,
And hallelujahs loud and long,
O’er death and hell defeated!